This story denotes years using currently accepted date abbreviations of BCE [before current era] and CE [current era] rather than Christian centric BC [before Christ] and AD [Anno domini - ‘in the year of the Lord’]. The dates are the same in both dating methods.

Much like the Romans never succeeded in subduing the Germanic tribes in the heavily forested steeply hilled area, when the Germans tribes started moving into the area about three hundred years BCE the native Celts were equally difficult to subdue. Over the years the incoming Germans and surviving stubborn Celts intermarried eventually absorbing the local Celts into the German tribes. As a result the Germanic Hermunduri clans living in those forests facing the Roman fortifications were tough and independent with a strong Celtic heritage. But they were beginning to feel the pressures of other peoples pressuring them to the their rear.

The border between the Roman Empire and the Germanic tribes (Germania Magna) had been fairly stationary for over a century and a half after three Roman Legions were wiped out by Germanic tribes led by Arminius in 9 CE. To the west the Rhine River served as the border. To the south the Danube River was the border. The area between the two great rivers, the forested mountainous area north of Switzerland, was demarcated by a string of Roman fortifications. Starting south of Remagen a line of Roman fortifications (Limes) was constructed at the edges of the relatively flat river/stream valleys before soaring up to the steep rugged slopes of the heavily forested hills on the east side of the Rhine. At the city of Mainz the fortifications headed further east following the flatlands north of the Main River for twenty miles until it turned south. At that point the Main River became the border until the town of Miltenberg. The fortified border then ran cross country in a fairly straight line south southeast for about ninety miles to Lorch on the Rems River. At that point the border went northeast for about eighty miles to Gunzenhausen. Then the border turned southeast for about fifty five miles to Neustadt An Der Donau on the Danube River.

The pregnancy had been difficult. The young woman serving as midwife, on her own for the first time, was clearly concerned. The contractions had been ongoing for nearly a day and a half. Despite her best effort, the soon to be first time mother moaned in agonizing pain as another powerful contraction hit. Fortunately the clan healer, a follower of Ianuaria, had been in a near by village and when summoned had hurried to assist the harried midwife. The Ianuarian let her hands roam over the young woman’s swollen belly and stroke her thighs in an effort to soothe the stress. Based on what she’d been told the young woman was at best only seven months pregnant but her belly was swollen beyond what she could handle. The gray haired forty five year old woman frowned as she searched her memory for possible solutions. Herbs and medicines could only do so much to ease the discomfort. The fourteen year old mother to be was simply too small to safely carry twins to term.

To complicate the situation, the twenty two year old father had recently been killed during a drunken brawl with itinerant merchants (who fatally learned their error). While the Roman Legionnaires seldom ventured beyond their fortifications Roman entrepreneurs often organized small trading parties to travel in Germanic tribal areas. Fortunately the village and clan would see that the mother and children would be supported.

It was another agonizing three hours before the mother finally dilated enough to begin the actual birthing. The first child emerged after another twenty five minutes of pushing and anguished screams of the distraught exhausted mother. Happily the healthy cries of the newborn boy were heard. The healer cleaned the small baby while the midwife tended the weary mother. There was a ten minute respite before the second twin started coming. Again the mother, clearly at the end of her endurance, screamed in pain. Thankfully the younger twin brother emerged in five minutes. His healthy cries made those anxiously waiting smile. The young teen mother was beyond exhausted and barely conscious. Knowing the mother was too far out of it to deal with the babies the village women took the small newborns and nursing mothers shared their bounty with the hungry newborn babes.

As the midwife prepared to expel the afterbirth she gasped. “Great Woden! There’s a third baby!”

The healer instantly turned her attention to the haggard mother who was clearly too far gone to be able to assist in the third birth. The midwife settled between the mothers legs as the Ianuarian began to massage the deflated tummy in an effort to manipulate the third baby from the womb. It took fifteen minutes until the child began to emerge. The first two babies were small, only two thirds the size of normal full term babies. The third baby was only half the normal size. The tiny baby feebly flailed but didn’t take a breath and began turning blue. The midwife was ready to write the tiny newborn off.

Seeing the fading newborn’s Emerald green eyes were open and intently watching her, the healer felt an instant connection. Gently she placed her open mouth over the baby’s nose and mouth and tenderly puffed a breath to inflate the lungs. Raising her head she cautiously pressed the tiny chest to expel the air.

The midwife and two attending women watched the healer fight to save the baby. Slowly the child’s blue tinge faded toward a healthy color. The entire time the baby stared into the healer’s eyes. After ten minutes the baby hiccupped then began a faint but undeniable cry.

Needless to say the women were awed by the tiny infant’s will to live. But they also knew that babies as small as the first two had a rough path to survival. No one had ever heard of or much less seen a baby as small as the third boy survive for more than a few days. The entire clan was surprised the young mother had carried triplets, a true rarity.

The village elders were not happy. It was accepted practice to assist fatherless children and widowed mothers. For them it truly took a village. But two babies, undersized and premature at that, would put a strain on their resources. Begrudgingly they shouldered the burden. However committing to raise the fragile third baby, a great deal smaller than the other two, caused them to grumble and complain.

Upon hearing their mutters the clan Ianuarian knew that a day or so after she left the tiny third child would mysteriously cease breathing. Such was common practice for infants deemed unfit and unable to eventually contribute to the clan’s well being. The well respected Ianuarian went to the elders telling them that while the child was small and weak it’s spirit was strong and that she felt the strength of Ianuaria in him. Then she added that since she breathed life into the near stillborn babe, if they gave their permission, she would accept raising the child as her own.

Naturally this surprised the elders. Obviously the Ianuarian sensed that something about the child was special. After sending the healer from their council they briefly discussed whether or not it would be prudent for them to raise the child. But in the end they decided the childless older woman could have the child thus relieving them of the burden while keeping the child in the extended clan.

The healer, Erminlinda, thanked the elders then asked them to see to the child’s needs overnight so the infant could be properly fed before making the trek to her home village. Erminlinda named the tiny baby Raben (raven) because of his intense inquisitive gaze. While they waited the healer searched for herbs and plants in the surrounding forests inviting all preteen girls to accompany her and learn.

Living with their mother, the two larger triplets were identical twins, Adalfuns and Adalbert, grew strong and healthy overcoming their size deficit at birth by their third birthday. Still young and beautiful plus having demonstrated her ability to produce sons the young mother soon remarried eventually having a daughter and son with her new husband. The youngest triplet, not identical to his bigger brothers, was noticeably smaller than his brothers. That first year Raben fought to survive. If he’d stayed in the village he most likely would not have survived. However his adoptive mother WAS the clan Ianuarian.

Erminlinda was recognized as the best healer in the memory of the entire tribe. With potions and herbs from his devoted adoptive mother he slowly grew stronger. In addition he seldom laughed or cried, often intently watching those about him as if analyzing their every action much like a sharp eyed Raven sitting on a branch. Many found his intense gazes unsettling.

Like many Ianuarians Erminlinda played the flute, often using the sweet melodies to soothe and relax patients. It was also a safe way to give advance notice that she was approaching a village. The often intense melodies fascinated Raben and for his second birthday she made a child sized flute for the boy. People were amazed that within a month he was able to play songs even mimicking the birds in the surrounding forests. Since he seldom left Erminlinda’s side by the time he was three, Raben had learned to recognize the plants and herbs that interested his mother helping her replenish needed medicinal supplies as well as how to prepare and store them. Like most healers Erminlinda spent about half her time in a small log cabin just outside her village {present day Gerlachsheim Google Maps 49.581057, 9.714466} where the sick could seek help without the naturally nosey villagers intruding. A healer’s privacy was a well respected tradition. The rest of her time was spent traveling through nine villages of her clan but often traveling further if needed. Raben accompanied Erminlinda on her rounds almost intuitively learning her skills and that a healer’s job was never done. Thus Raben regularly met his larger brothers and birth mother but at no time was he invited to rejoin their core family.

Erminlinda recognized the small boy’s inquisitiveness, intensity and quick intellect. Like the wily raven intently watching the world, Raben closely observed everything she did, every herb, potion, poultice, every reset bone, every stitched wound and every tune she played. By the time he was ten Erminlinda was an arthritic fifty five. The clan elders knew their chief healer was getting too old to continue making the rounds to the villages. Fortunately they also knew that for the last year she had been having Raben do the actual healing work while she observed, seldom needing to advise or correct him. Despite his youth and small size everyone knew Raben’s knowledge of herbs and plants was unsurpassed except, and then just barely, by Erminlinda.

At the age of twelve many boys, including his brothers, began puberty. For months Raben had felt an itching in his scrotum. Having seen many examples of male and female genitalia in his medical practice he realized his testicles were not normal and the scrotum was changing. Instead of a sack holding the testes, his were separated. The separation deepened until it became vaginal like and his scrotum morphed into pseudo labia with each side holding a small testicle.

Quietly he explained his situation to Erminlinda who verified his conclusions after examining him. “You are two spirited, both female and male yet neither,” his mother explained. “It is a rare but not unknown condition with many variations. Physically you may develop as a young man, as a young female or as both or neither. Your future is in the hands of the Gods. However, you will be safer if you keep this secret.”

By age fourteen Raben stood four feet ten inches tall and weighed 95 pounds. There was no sign of male puberty. His waif like appearance was androgynous. His flesh was smooth, hairless and soft. There was just the tiniest hint of breast development. The intense teen was slender but with wiry strength, superb stamina, tremendous agility and graceful suppleness. With long reddish hair and piercing emerald green eyes he was known by all in the clan yet had no true friends, nor, for that matter, any enemies. The youth could run like the wind, climb trees like a cat, even leap from tree to tree like a squirrel and climb rocky cliffs and outcrops like a mountain goat. In addition, his woodcraft was far beyond that of the best skilled hunters and warriors. He could silently run through the forest, and if downwind, was able to slip amongst grazing deer without startling them. His stamina was such that he could run for hours seeing all in the forests he traversed. Several people claimed they’d seen the wiry lad running and howling with the wolves! They knew the birds and rabbits had no fear of him. It was fairly common to see a bird land on his shoulder or a rabbit scamper between his legs.

It wasn’t unusual for those traveling through the forests to hear intriguingly delightful flute melodies wafting through the trees echoing through the valleys. Outsiders coming to the villages were surprised to see the short slender youth traveling from place to place making the rounds as a respected healer. Any who needed Raben’s skills were more than satisfied by his services. His ability to reset broken bones and stitch wounds without having them become infected was far beyond his years. His healing skills and herbal lore had long surpassed that of his adoptive mother, Erminlinda.

It was the middle of fall with colorful leaves falling from the trees. Raben was in a village {present day Wittihhausen, Google maps 49.581057, 9.714466 in the German state of Baden-Wurttemburg} tending to the people when several panicked out of breath women and children staggered into the village yelling that a mounted slave raiding party was attacking the clan’s villages. The raiders’ attack on the first village caught everyone by surprise. The next village, the one the women and children came from was warned by a handful of survivors fleeing the first village. They didn’t have enough time to mount a viable defense or fully evacuate before they were attacked. The people in the village Raben was in, along with the refugees, sprang into action swiftly gathering food and supplies. The women and children fled into the forest while the men sent out scouts and organized their fighting force in the forests along the path between the villages. They knew they couldn’t defend the village so they set booby traps throughout the village then slipped into the forests to ambush the slavers when they arrived.

Raben led the women and children into a tributary feeding the stream the village was built beside telling them to stay in the water to mask their trail as they climbed the steep valley to a safe hiding spot. The youthful healer was concerned about his mother/mentor. The home he shared with her was just outside the first village attacked. Knowing keeping his cool was important he shoved the fear down. Just as they stepped out of the water a half mile upstream the sounds of battle echoed from their abandoned village. The clash of metal was all too brief. No one had to warn them to remain quiet.

After fifteen minutes Raben eased back downstream to the village where he saw the mounted invaders had been victorious. He saw the mounted men start driving five men, three women and six children shackled in chains back down the trail along side the Wittigbach the way they’d came. Judging by the booty strapped to their horses the young mercenary commander let his men ransack the village before setting it ablaze. They knew the village had been warned of their raid and understood the remaining villages would soon be organizing stiffer defense and eventually a retaliatory raid. It was time for them to return to the safety of the Roman fortifications.

Raben silently followed cautiously checking the surrounding area and found a bit over half the village’s male defenders lying dead by the trail as well as eight slavers. As usual the slavers made sure they killed any of their own wounded who couldn’t be easily moved. Raben scurried back to the hidden women and children giving them the all clear and instructing them to head upstream to the next clan village to spread the news of the raid.

The second village attacked {present day Grunsfeld, Google maps 49.606186, 9.744039} was six miles downstream at the junction of the Wittigbach and Grunbach streams. This was the village that had received warning of the raid but hadn’t had enough time to organize. It too was a burned husk with dead lying about. Fear, anger and the need to help the injured fought inside his soul. As he surveyed the ruins a handful of women and children crept from the forest with one wounded warrior. While he desperately wanted to head downstream to the next village he forced himself to help the injured. Raben quickly tended to their wounds then advised the survivors to make their way upstream to the neighboring village and from their to the next clan village. This destroyed village was that of his birth mother and brothers. They were not amongst the survivors nor the dead. Obviously they had been captured.

Fearing the worst Raben headed downstream the three and two third miles along the Grunbach to the village outside which he lived with Erminlinda. It only took a glance at the modest cabin they’d shared to see the still smoldering remnants. The place he’d called home was gone. His adopted mother’s body was not outside the ruined cabin and there was no sign of a blackened corpse amongst the charred debris. Fear for his mother and mentor grew as he made his way into the village (present day Gerlachsheim). It was evident they had been caught by total surprise. All too many men lay where they fell. The village elders had clearly been executed as their worth as slaves was negligible. A quick search of the bodies revealed no sign of Erminlinda. Hope flared in his heart, perhaps her worth as a healer made up for her advanced age. No one came from the forest. Those not killed had most likely been captured. He could only assume they were now chained prisoners.

It was a bit after late afternoon. Raben knew if he followed he’d easily catch up to those he sought. Following too close during the daylight he’d run the risk of discovery. If he had any hopes of freeing his mother he’d have to do so after darkness fell. With trepidation he wandered back through the derelict smoldering village and out the other side. Numbed by the death he’d witnessed this day he slowly went through the ruins of his home seeking to salvage what he could.

Raben took the salvaged items to the nearby spring to clean them but stopped short in horror. Erminlinda hung from a tall pine tree... crucified! The beams of the late afternoon sun illuminated her bloody frail form. The distraught teen fell to his knees crying to see his mother/mentor treated so harshly! As he cried he saw her twitch... she was still alive!

The excited youth filled his water skin then shimmied up the back of the tree to the hand hewn plank crosspiece. Carefully he maneuvered about until he could get the waterskin to her mouth. Feeling the water against her parched lips she opened her mouth and drank. The water somewhat revived her. Looking up she weakly smiled to see her son/protégée.

“Raben, I’m glad to see you’re safe,” she whispered. “The Romans... killed... captured... so many.”

“I know,” Raben commiserated. “I can’t treat you up here and I’m not sure how to get you down. I can’t do it myself and...”

“No child,” Erminlinda croaked. “It’s too late to save me. Even if you got me down I’m too old and weak to survive.”

“But...” Raben pleaded.

“Ianuaria calls and I must heed. She needs me to heal the slaughtered,” Erminlinda soothed her student. “I ask you to give me hemlock to ease my death and end my suffering. Then go save those who were taken.”

“What can I do against them? I’m not a warrior,” Raben sniffled knowing her request for Hemlock was justified. “I’ll give you the hemlock, then get you down and give you a proper pyre.”

“A pyre can wait until you return,” Erminlinda gasped. “Evening is falling and you have much to do yet today. Ianuaria has blessed you with the skills of a healer. She also blessed you with intelligence, agility, stamina, and speed to travel soundlessly. You are skilled in the forests, you are easily the clan’s best hunter. As a healer you know where to land killing blows. Use those skills to destroy the Romans who attacked us and free our people. My son, I thank the Gods for letting me be your mother. You have already exceeded my abilities. I know you will be the greatest healer to have ever lived. Always remember I love you. Now, hurry, I want to die as the sun sets.”

Scrambling down the tree tears were flowing freely down his cheeks. Raben prepared the gift of death for his much loved adopted mother. Although they were both healers, they knew prolonging life was not always a good thing. Sometimes a healer had to assist those suffering end their life.

The sun was beginning to set when he climbed back up to his mother. Once more he had to rouse her. A feeble smile was the best she could manage. After a final kiss he administered the ultimate escape. Too weak to hold her head up, Raben tenderly assisted her to turn her face towards the setting sun. Comforted by the loving touch of her son, Erminlinda, her face wreathed in the last sunbeams of the fading day, smiled at her child as she slipped into death’s welcoming embrace.

The distraught teen vowed to Ianuaria to avenge his mother. In the twilight as he passed through the burned village he salvaged a bow, quiver and arrows. The village was built where the Grunbach joined the Tauber River. Whenever the Romans ventured past their fortresses they used the trails that followed the courses of the river and streams avoiding the steep forested hills as much as possible. They had come up the Tauber from the Main River. As darkness fell Raben silently set off to follow the trail left by the hated Romans as they returned to the fortified border. The plucky lad estimated it had taken the Romans eight hours to attack and sack the three villages and return to the first village. At most their camp would only be about eight miles downstream, a two hour trip at forced march for the prisoners. For the slaving raid to be conducted as it had meant the Romans had been on the move for at least twelve hours. They would post pickets as the majority collapsed in sleep in preparation for the arduous thirty two mile twelve hour trek to the Roman fort at Miltenberg.

It was an hour before midnight when he found the Roman encampment. {present day Gamburg Google maps 49.581057, 9.714466} The Tauber had carved out an ‘S’ nearly a mile wide and a mile and half long through the steep hills. The slaver’s camp was set upon the fluvial terrace along the central portion of the ‘S’. As Raben emerged from the bottom curve he saw the campfires of the camp. Keeping to the trees stealthily moving closer he silently climbed a tree to survey the layout of the camp. There was a large campfire in front of the lone tent in the middle of the camp. Opposite the tent on the other side of the central fire a solitary figure slept. Raben assumed the head slaver was in the tent while the sleeping lone figure had to be the leader of the mercenaries. Eight additional fires formed a rough circle about the central fire faintly illuminating the entire encampment. There were eight guards patrolling the encampment. The rank and file mercenaries slept around each campfire in groups of twelve, their heads pointed toward the warming flames. One sleeping spot around each fire was empty... those men were on guard duty. The newly captured slaves were shackled and huddled together for warmth. A quick count revealed an estimated eighty bedraggled shackled prisoners; men, women and children headed for lives slavery. The horses and pack animals were tethered in a group just inside the camp boundary line. For the next two hours he avoided the eight guards as he spied on the camp from all directions. Based on his observations he estimated there were ninety six mercenaries, the mercenary commander, the head slaver and a hundred ten horses. It was about four hours until dawn when the guards changed. Watching closely he noted those coming off duty immediately slid into their blankets.

One by one, utilizing the stealth skills he’d developed in the forests. Raben silently approached the pickets. At a distance of about fifty feet he unerringly loosed an arrow into the unsuspecting guard’s heart, quietly taking them out. To insure they were dead he stealthily slit the downed man’s throat before moving on to the next guard. After taking out the patrolling pickets the silent teen eased into the tethered herd gently patting the horses he passed. With his affinity for animals not one horse whinnied. The last guard standing by the fire between the tent and the sleeping commander was quickly dispatched. With the last guard eliminated he slung the bow on his back and crept to the nearest campfire. At each campfire he silently knelt by the sleeping mercenaries to quickly slice their throats. Their death rattle of burbling blood was masked by the soft pop and crackle of the fires. The men were dead before they could resist or sound an alarm. With deadly determination and efficiency he darted from fire to fire savagely but carefully leaving a bloody trail of death in his silent wake. The weary sleeping mercenaries were no match for the ruthless killing machine they unknowingly created and unleashed, each one spraying their life giving blood onto the body of their determined executioner. Once the eight campfires were surrounded by corpses, Raben headed for the central fire. As he approached the leader of the mercenaries he recognized him as the man he’d seen ordering the raiders about as they gathered the captured in the last village. Thanks to his skills as a healer he also realized the man was not asleep but playing possum, obviously waiting for him to get close.

Without breaking stride he altered course heading for the tent. Once the fire obscured the line of sight Raben unslung the bow and quickly nocked an arrow. Just as the arrow was nocked the faux sleeping man sprang across the fire with a nasty looking knife in his hand. The teen’s lightening reflexes saved him as he instantly pivoted to the side avoiding the man’s savage lunge while simultaneously loosing the arrow while the man was still in the air. While it wasn’t an instantly killing wound, the arrow pierced the attacker’s right side in the area of his appendix on an upward trajectory with the arrowhead emerging through the left armpit.

The skewered man grunted as he hit the ground hard rolling against the tent. The entire tent shuddered as the mercenary leader used it to struggle to his feet. Without hesitation Raben nocked and loosed another arrow burrowing the point four inches into the man’s right shoulder. The man fell back against the tent but still he didn’t go down.

A groggy voice bellowed from inside the tent. “What the hell is going on?”

Raben nocked and loosed another arrow. As the man struggled off the tent to his feet a third arrow pierced his chest with the arrowhead emerging through his back ribs skewering his heart in the process.

Even with that deadly wound the man staggered towards Raben while gasping, desperately trying to get air into his collapsed lungs. Another arrow was quickly nocked as Raben took a few steps backward. Just as he prepared to loose the arrow the dying man collapsed to his knees finally dropping the knife from his right hand.

At that point the tent flap opened and the slave master stepped out. At one point he must have been a physically imposing and powerful man but the once strong man was clearly going to seed. In his hand he carried a Roman style short sword. His sleepy eyes opened in shock to see the mercenary leader on his knees gasping for breath with the arrows protruding from his body. Before he could do more then stare in surprise an arrow pierced his heart. The dying man grunted and looked down in shock at the feathered shaft sticking out of his chest before his dead body fell back into the tent.

The still kneeling fatally injured man grasped the arrow through his heart and yanked. Raben couldn’t believe the man had the strength much less the life to pull the arrow out of his chest. The act of pulling the arrowhead back through the wound only made the already extensive damage worse. Blood gushed from the wound along with the bloody gurgle of air from his pierced and collapsed lung exiting the nasty front and back wounds in time to his every gasp. The mortally wounded man simply wouldn’t die.

Raben slung his bow on his back and drew his bloody knife. Utilizing his dexterity he stepped behind the still kneeling man. One hand gripped the man’s hair yanking his head backward. Leaning over the man he used the knife to ruthlessly slice the man’s exposed throat from ear to ear nearly severing his head. Unlike the others he’d executed, very little blood sprayed from the severed arteries and veins. Considering all the blood the man had already lost the paucity of blood was understandable.

Raben breathed a sigh of relief when he felt the man’s body go slack. When he released the man’s hair the dead body fell forward to splat onto the ground. Stepping inside the tent he slit that dead man’s throat just to be sure.

The light of predawn was chasing away the darkness as Raben stepped back out of the tent. Looking about the decimated mercenaries he knew Manannan would be busy ferrying the dead souls to the afterlife. For a moment he stood before the fire, faced the dawn, then raised his hands in the air above his head, leaned his head back and howled like a wolf. In the distance a pack of wolves answered his call.

The hopeless prisoners awoke in the grey predawn, shaken by the closeness of the wolf call. The distant answering howls made them shiver. Looking toward the source of the initial howl they saw a small figure silhouetted against the central fire with arms upraised. The lack of response from the sleeping mercenaries increased the fear already in their hearts. When the howl echoed off into silence they grew terrified of the eerily silent camp. With the slowly brightening dawn they saw the sleeping forms of the mercenaries but could see no sentries. The lone figure by the central fire didn’t move until the first rays of the emerging sun struck his form. Thus brightly illuminated they feared they were seeing a blood soaked demon!

The demon turned from the fire and rummaged the nearest body before standing. Holding whatever he removed he once more raised his arms to the rising sun. “They’re all dead,” the bloody demon loudly declared. “Mother... I have done as you asked! As I vowed to Ianuaria I have avenged your death in a bloodbath! But I find I can take no joy in their deaths. There is no satisfaction! Now I will free those taken by the Roman scum!”

It took a moment for the ex-prisoners to realize they recognized the voice. Cautiously they drew in their breath hoping beyond all hope they were about to be freed. The figure they hoped was Raben kicked the body lying outside the tent. Then it slowly but with great determination approached them. It didn’t take long before what they’d initially seen as a blood soaked demon was indeed the familiar form of Raben... uncharacteristically covered in blood from head to toe!

But he was much different than the familiar oft timid Raben. The familiar smiling, eager to help and caring small healer was indeed covered in blood from those he’d killed. The expression on his face was one that chilled the hearts of the prisoners. It left no doubt in their minds the healer had stepped out of his normal mode of healing to become an all too efficient killer. Stopping before them the weary lad held aloft a ring of keys before the shackled prisoners.

“I am no longer the meek healer you knew,” Raben declared in a stone cold voice that brooked no disagreement. “Erminlinda was crucified by the scourge I have excoriated. I am now the clan Ianuarian. Your freedom is due solely to my revenge! You owe your lives to me! I will release your debt if you do as I order. When you are released from your shackles strip everything from the dead. You can take the weapons, armor, clothing, food and goods. Take no revenge upon the corpses. As victor I claim the tent and all inside, the lone campsite opposite the tent as well as all coin and jewels found on the dead. As you strip the dead bring the valuables to the tent. Use the horses to transport their bodies into the forests far enough for the stench of their rotting not to reach this place. They will be carrion for the wolves and crows. You will do this today and stay here overnight. I also want the four best horses. You may have the rest. You can return to the clan lands tomorrow morning. When you get there the first thing you will do is to take Erminlinda’s body down from where it hangs and place it on a pyre of honor. I will light the pyre when I return. I will then consider your life debt repaid and you can return to your lives. Do you agree to my terms?”

The still shackled people understood life debts. That Raben demanded so little to be released from that debt humbled them. They also understood Raben would brook no betrayal of his charge. All quickly agreed to the liberal terms.

Raben tossed them the keys and turned back to the tent. They eagerly took the keys and began freeing themselves. Once freed the braver warriors cautiously made their way to the ‘sleeping’ forms of mercenaries to discover each of the mercenaries lying about the campfires had his throat cut while he slept. It wasn’t lost on them that Raben had killed them all without alerting their slumbering neighbors. The men scooped up weapons and began checking the corpses. They discovered those who had been on guard duty had all silently met their end with an unerring arrow through the heart followed by a cut throat. All the mercenaries were dead... all obviously silently killed by scrawny little Raben! The tiny weakling healer boy who no one had ever considered to be worthy of being called a hunter or warrior had proven everyone wrong.

Those freed quickly ransacked the packs of the Romans for food, hungrily devouring their first meal in almost a day. No one approached Raben who wearily walked into the Tauber. The cool fresh water rinsed the dried blood from his body. While the blood rinsed out of his clothing the dark brown color remained. When he was refreshed he headed to the central tent. There he searched through the contents. A cask held the man’s jewelry and three others held coins. A satchel of scrolls was also there. Unfortunately, like virtually all of his clan, Raben couldn’t read. Still, they intrigued him. Perhaps with study he could decipher them. After stripping the head slaver’s body he dragged the body outside dropping it by the last guard he’d slain. The freed men would carry them into the forest. Several women including his birth mother were gathered around one of the outlying fires cooking. The kids were eagerly stripping bodies, getting a bit of payback. The rest of the women were assisting the men hoisting dead bodies on the backs of horses to be lead into the trees to discard. His brothers were amongst them. Satisfied things were progressing as he’d ordered he turned to strip the hard to kill man only to discover the body was gone! At first he assumed they’d taken the body but quickly realized they’d started with the bodies by the outlying campfires.

A child’s scream drew everyone’s attention. A single bloody Roman was stumbling towards the forest. As everyone froze the sound of the wounded man’s raspy breathing was clearly audible The warriors sprang into action scooping up spears to surround the man, stopping him just a few feet from the forest.

“Don’t try to kill him,” Raben ordered as he ran to the battered mercenary. “Just keep him from escaping.”

The warriors were clearly frightened. It was plain to see two arrows still pierced the mercenary’s body as well as wound on his chest and back from the arrow he’d torn from his heart. But the most unnerving was the bloody horrific wound of his slashed throat. What clearly terrified them was they could clearly see the injuries healing as they watched. The man appeared to be in his early twenties and judging by his clothes it was obvious he was a well to do mercenary captain. As he miraculously regained his strength he surveyed the clearly terrified ex prisoners, the smirk upon his face clearly intimidating them.

Then he saw the bold and unafraid youth staring at him. Now that he’d had a chance to recuperate his senses were returning. A glance around the camp revealed the still bodies of his troops. “You took out my troops, shot me with three arrows and cut my throat,” he declared in flawless German despite his raw raspy voice. “Unlike those you freed you are not afraid of me. How old are you, girl?”

“I’m fourteen and a boy,” Raben replied with a bit of frustration at once more having a stranger think he was a girl. “I’m the clan’s Ianuarian.”

“A healer,” the man laughed. “No healer could kill as silently and efficiently as you did. Besides, I crucified your clan’s Ianuarian.”

“She was my adoptive mother and taught me how to be a healer. I can’t recall a time I wasn’t by her side as she treated patients, made potions and gathered herbs,” Raben growled as his eyes narrowed. “She was barely alive when I found her. She asked me to end her agony and avenge our clan. I don’t know what kind of a demon you are but I WILL kill you.”

“Better men than you have tried and failed,” the mercenary mirthlessly chuckled.

Before anyone could react Raben snatched a spear from one of the warriors, charged and skewered the still weak but smirking Roman, driving him back several steps until he slammed into the trunk of a sturdy tree. The charge was so intense the spearhead penetrated four inches into the trunk of the tree. The smirk quickly disappeared from the man’s face as he grasped the shaft of the spear protruding from his stomach.

Without hesitation Raben grabbed another spear thrusting it through the impaled man’s left lung and heart. Within moments another spear through the right lung also pinned him to the tree.

The clan hunter/warriors were stunned not only that the man still lived but by the unbridled ferociousness of Raben’s attack.

“Bring rope and a bow and arrows,” Raben brusquely ordered as he glared at the mercenary.

Two men responded, returning in a few minutes with the ordered goods. Raben had the men tie the rope around the mercenary’s hands pulling them back around the tree to tightly loop them in place. The same actions were repeated with his feet. Once the Roman was securely tied in place, splayed against the tree trunk Raben took the bow, nocked an arrow and from ten feet skewered the man’s left forearm. In a few minutes his forearms and hands were firmly pinned to the tree trunk by the arrows with the arrowheads firmly embedded into the trunk. Then the arrow assault was repeated with the Roman’s lower legs and feet. Unbelievably the man was still conscious but clearly in severe pain.

“I’ll kill this demon,” Raben growled as he stared the man down. “He’s not going anywhere. I need some food.” With that he left the man suffering on the tree.

The frightened freed people gave the impaled man a wide birth as they continued cleaning up the campsite. Raben moved around the site collecting jewels and coins from the piles of booty eating as he did so. Then he requested the kids to gather as much firewood as they could piling it near the skewered mercenary.

The camp was cleared of bodies as the day ended. The booty was divided. The clan set up for the night on the opposite side of the encampment from the pinioned man. Raben sat before him watching his extensive wounds slowly heal. The two peered deeply into the other’s eyes.

The skewered man smiled and since both lungs were by then healed but still pierced by the spears he whispered. “What’s your name?”

“Raben,” he answered. “What’s your name?”

“Marcellus Longinus,” the man replied. “Could I have some water?”

“No,” Raben sighed. “I see your wounds are healing. Water would only give you strength. I can’t do that. After all, you are a demon.”

“No, I’m cursed,” the man sighed. “I can’t be killed. As you have witnessed even if I die my body will heal and I’ll return to life.”

Raben frowned. “How is that possible?”

“Have you heard of a man named Jesus?” Marcellus asked.

“A teacher who healed the sick and raised the dead,” Raben replied.

“That’s him,” the man answered. “I was a twenty year old soldier in the Legio III Gallica stationed in Damascus. My cohort was dispatched to the armpit of the empire, Jerusalem, to maintain order amongst the Jews during their Passover holiday. Jesus was a simple preacher who spoke against the corrupt practices of the Jewish Temple priests. In retaliation they arrested him and turned him over to the Roman Prefect to have him killed for inciting rebellion. My unit was charged with crucifying him. Many jeered as he was crucified while his terrified followers cried. After a few hours he said he forgave everyone. Then the sky turned dark as he died which spooked everyone. When the light returned my decanus (sergeant) ordered me to pierce his side to make sure he was dead. When I did so water gushed from the wound and ran down the spear shaft onto my hands. I felt a massive tingling that froze my arms causing me to nearly pass out. The body was taken down and buried in a tomb. The body later disappeared from the tomb. The followers of Jesus said he was the son of God and that three days after his burial he rose from the dead. I can’t speak to that. But I believe the shock I received when I pierced his side changed me.”

“What I do know is that since that day I have not aged. I’ve lived for one hundred sixty five years since the death of Jesus. Any wound I suffer heals rapidly and I have not been sick. I can’t get drunk. Even poisons have no lasting effect on me. I have died several times but as you discovered I come back to life. I truly wish I could die. I’m tired of life and killing and long for death.”

Raben nodded. “Why didn’t you seek another occupation? You could have become a farmer?”

“I tried to return to my farming roots,” the weary man answered. “When I didn’t age the neighbors accused me of being witch. I was assaulted and beaten to death and left for the crows while my crops and buildings were burned. I returned to life over night. In the morning I walked through the village and they drew back in fear. I returned to the legion and life of a warrior. When the legion realized I was not aging I resigned. I tried farming again in the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. I purchased a farm I named Barmaz, it’s the watershed of a small tributary stream in a valley high in the mountains just below the tree line. I hired locals to run the farm and stayed a few years. When my not aging started to become an issue I kept ownership but became a mercenary. My soldiers fear me but the wages were good so they stayed. My life is lonely. If you can end my torment please do so.”

“I may have a way to end your life,” Raben said. “I’m a healer sworn to help those in need. Sometimes that means helping people die. Killing was against my vows. However, thanks to you, that has changed.”

“For what it’s worth I apologize,” the weary weak impaled man sighed. “How do you think you could end my life?”

“If you can heal any wound and resist poisons, then you must be burned until your body is reduced to ashes and the ashes scattered.”

“Do it. I want to die,” Marcellus firmly declared. “About my farm... my signet ring tells the family running it and the authorities that the holder is the owner. It’s yours as a reward for ending my life. Also, in my kit is the spear head I used to pierce Jesus. I kept it as a memento... it’s yours now.”

As Raben piled the collected wood around the man he explained how to find the farm. As night fell he doused the brush with oil then set the brush afire. There was an audible WHOOSH as the flames quickly engulfed the brush. Before the full agony of the flames engulfed the warrior Raben picked up his bow, nocked and arrow, and loosed it. The arrow pierced the Roman’s nose impaling his head against the tree as his struggling body stilled ending his misery. Soon the body was quite charred. While the man’s tale seemed impossible it was clear to Raben the man firmly believed it. The fact he lived after being so gravely wounded made the far fetched tale seem plausible. But it was the fact the fatal wounds had begun to visibly heal that convinced Raben the bizarre tale was true. The young healer knew there were many things in the world that were unexplainable.

All night Raben kept adding wood to the pyre. The tree itself caught fire acting like a chimney concentrating the heat and flames on the tree trunk and the impaled body. The fire climbed into the branches with the tree becoming a huge torch. Adjacent trees were scorched but thankfully did not catch fire. By dawn the tree was reduced to a smoldering stump. Stirring through the ashes and charred remnants he found the spear and arrow points as well as the cursed man’s charred bones.

As morning dawned the freed clansmen quietly gathered their booty and headed home. Raben’s brothers dropped off some food before they left him to his grisly task. It was easy to gather the charred remnants of the cursed man onto another pyre. Using some still smoldering charred wood he was able to kindle a fire in the piled charcoal. When the heat was unbearable he threw the collected bones into the hellish fire. By late afternoon the fire died down as storm clouds gathered overhead. Once more he rooted through ashes finding a few charred bone fragments and teeth. Gathering these in a cloth he took them to a flat topped rock, spreading them in a layer. Using an iron head mallet he began crushing the brittle bone fragments to dust. Once the bones were powdered, one by one he attacked the teeth pounding them into dust. As the hammer crushed the first molar a shock traveled up the handle making his hand tingle. After shaking his hand he continued the task. With each crushed molar, a progressively stronger shock traveled up the handle, each of which he shook off. The second had his hand and forearm tingling. The third left the entire arm tingling. The fourth enveloped his face.

At that point Raben gasped and stopped as he recalled the Centurion spoke about how the shock he had received had changed him. Was the power... the Curse... that kept the soldier ageless, healthy and regenerating wounds trapped inside the teeth he was crushing? Were the shocks he was feeling as each tooth powdered transferring the Curse to him? The teen couldn’t imagine himself being a warrior like the ex-centurion. The killing he’d already done unsettled him. Hopefully if the Curse was now his he’d be destined to remain a healer. With a sigh he continued crushing the teeth with the shocks and tingling continuing but not worsening.

Night was falling by the time the job was done. As he brushed the ash and powder off the boulder the heavens opened. The weary Ianuarian stripped, stretching his arms skyward welcoming the rain that rinsed his ash covered flesh clean. The weary boy moved to the lonely tent snatching the pack of the dead centurion. For a long moment he examined the carefully wrapped spear tip before crawling into the blankets as a deluge fell from the sky. After not sleeping for nearly two days he easily slipped into the land of nod.

The rain had stopped by morning. Raben emerged from the tent and stretched in the early morning dawn. Returning to the stump and the rock where he’d smashed the bones and teeth, the intense rain had rinsed the ashes away. There was no trace left of the cursed Marcellus Longinus. Raben succeeded in killing the unkillable man. Deep in his young soul he feared the Curse had passed on to him.

With the warming sunshine of the morning he struck the tent, packed it and the goods that had been inside and secured the loads to three horses. Mounting the fourth horse he was ready to begin the trek to what was left of his home. At a steady walk he rode upstream along the Tauber River

When he reached the Grunbach he turned left to follow it. Half a mile up the Grunbach he reached the burned remnants of the first village he could tell it had been scavenged for salvageable goods but then abandoned. The dead had been seen to. On the other side of the ruined village his former home was equally abandoned. A great pyre had been built in the glade where her house had been. Erminlinda’s shrouded body lay atop. Astride his horse he was able to look down upon her. They had treated her kindly. Soon he had the horses unloaded and staked so they could graze. After sending a prayer of thanks to Ianuaria he lit the pyre. In his grief he kept a silent vigil as the fire purified the shattered body of his adoptive mother.

As night fell he tethered the horses inside the shell of the cabin then leaned against a tree and pulled a blanket around himself still looking into the smoldering coals of the conflagration. Again he mused on the revenge killings of the slavers that while necessary had not been satisfying. As a healer, to so blatantly take life ate at his soul. At some point he dozed off.

Raben awoke still weary and a bit disoriented. A heavy fog filled the glade. The trees were barely visible through the thick fog. To the north he heard a wolf howl. Other wolves answered from the east, west and south. The horses nickered in fear. The boy leaned his head back and howled answering the call of the pack then calmed the horses. The horses seemed to understand his soothing words and settled. A few moments later the wolves once more howled, only they were closer. Again he answered their call then reassured the horses. Over the next few minutes the wolf howls repeated, each set getting closer. Finally the wolves padded out of the swirling mist stopping just a few feet away from him. Their eyes glowed and their sharp teeth glistened but they didn’t growl and made no attempt to attack.

From the darkness behind the wolves a soft feminine voice spoke. “Are you not afraid of the wolves?”

“No, they did not come to kill me or my horses,” Raben calmly replied.

“Your mother said you were special,” the woman spoke as she emerged into the moonlight. Her white gossamer dress seemed to be made of swirling mist. “You avenged her murder and freed your people. It is good you are unsettled by the killing you did. Too often killing warps the mind corrupting the soul. Unfortunately there are times killing must be done. Even more unfortunately sometimes healers must kill. That you hate killing is good, for only then can you continue to be a healer. The last man you killed was indeed cursed. As you feared his curse has transferred to you. You were a skilled healer, now you are destined to be the greatest of my Ianuarians. Always keep your goodness close to your soul but when it is needed don’t be afraid to kill. All too often the betterment of life requires death as well as healing. You must find and maintain a healthy balance.”

Raben realized he was talking to Ianuaria herself. “I’ll do my best, Goddess.”

“I know you will, my child,” Ianuaria smiled. “The Curse you received will keep you in perfect health. If you are injured you will heal quickly, what takes a day to heal will take a minute. If you die your body will heal. You’ll never be ill nor will you age. People will begin to wonder why you never age. That wonder will turn to fear. They’ll accuse you of witchcraft or being a demon and try to kill you. That means you’ll find it difficult to stay in one place. You’ll need to be wary of those about you and be prepared to flee at a moment’s notice.”

Raben shivered. “Is there no way to break the Curse?”

“Only the utter destruction of your body as you did to Marcellus will free you from the Curse,” Ianuaria declared.

“So I should flee now,” Raben sighed.

“Not yet,” Ianuaria answered. “You can stay here many years. Use that time to prepare yourself. Learn as many skills as you can, gain as much knowledge as you can. Physically you are in excellent shape. Since you’ll heal any injuries you can push yourself harder. Become faster, become more flexible, agile and stronger. It can only help you. Study animals as well as plants. Cultivate the natural affinity you already have for wildlife. Live by your wits and do not be afraid to embrace your sexual duality. But the most important thing will be learning how to read people. You are now able to sense their emotions and get an inkling of their thoughts especially in stressful situations. You already know people will say one thing but do another. Your life will depend upon knowing what they are not saying. Oh, there are other benefits your Curse has given you. You can now speak to and understand animals. You have gained the ability to understand and fluently speak any language you hear. It also allows you to read and write any language.”

“So I can now read those scrolls I took,” Raben smiled. “That skill will allow me to seamlessly move from one society to another. That will be very useful in prolonging my life.”

“Now my child, I’ll leave you sleep,” Ianuaria smiled. “One more thing... your mother thanks you for avenging her and her kinsmen’s deaths.”

The woman turned and disappeared into the swirling mists. The wolves came and lay against him. He chuckled about having live wolves as blankets. His last thoughts before falling asleep was he was in a truly bizarre dream.

The first rays of the rising sun awoke Raben. His first sight was looking into the eyes of the wolf curled upon his lap. A quick glance revealed the other three wolves still lying against his body. Upon seeing he was awake the wolves stood and stretched, yawning then shaking their coats. Raben followed suit, stretching, then standing and stretching again as he yawned. Then he spoke to the wolves. “Thank you for keeping me company.”

The leader of the pack seemed to smile and yipped.

Raben was stunned. He understood the wolf’s yipping! “Ianuaria say you good. Ask pack keep you safe for grief vigil. Now pack go.”

“Thank you,” Raben answered. “If you ever need my help, just call.”

The wolves all nodded their heads. Then turned slipping into the forest.

The horses nickered and pranced a bit as the wolves passed them. Raben smiled. The wolves had joined him without terrifying the horses. At the same time he’d understood the horses.

“DANGER... WOLVES... DANGER”

“You’re safe,” Raben soothed. “The wolves were summoned by Ianuaria to watch over me.”

The horses immediately relaxed.

Raben was amazed. Apparently his Curse granted language abilities included communicating with animals! That could prove quite advantageous.

With a last look at the ash remnants of the pyre, he packed up the horses. Feeling lighter in the heart he resumed following the Grunbach upstream. As he rode he listened to the birds chirping, marveling that he could understand their calls. Of course they were saying nothing profound. “Alert” “Danger” “Food” “Human... traveling” and similar simple terms.

It was mid morning when he reached the second ransacked village at the confluence of the Grunbach and the Wittigbach, noting that like the first village it had been scoured for salvage and abandoned. Without stopping he headed up the Wittigbach. An hour later he noticed the birds becoming agitated.
“Human... hiding” “Human... traveling”

Raben headed off the woodland trail, easing his horse and pack train into the trees. Tethering the horses, he slipped noiselessly into the forest. Ten minutes later he saw the lookout leaning back against a fallen tree casually observing the trail.

The youth obviously understood the importance of watching the trail. It was only five days since the slaver raid. While trying to do his best the teen was clearly bored. Raben silently sidled up behind the watcher then tapped him on the shoulder.

“YAAAAA” the startled youth cried as he rolled away. Unfortunately he didn’t grab his spear which was still leaning against the fallen tree. Scrambling to his feet he pulled his knife and assumed a defensive stance. The expression upon his face was one of terror.

“Relax,” Raben smiled holding his weapon free hands aloft. “I figured there would be a lookout on the trail. I was just testing the clan’s security. You didn’t do too well. I could have just as easily slit your throat.”

“Raben... Great Woden you scared me,” the teen gasped as he shivered. “You... you won’t tell them you caught me off guard... will you?”

“It’ll be our secret,” Raben assured him. “But please use it as a lesson. If I had been a Roman, you’d be dead and the village left wide open for another attack.”

The youth thanked Raben. He had been one of the captured, losing his father, an uncle and a cousin in the attack. The fright Raben had given the teen had been eye opening. “How did you sneak up on me? I didn’t hear a thing!”

“I’ve spent hours in the forest,” Raben explained. “I’ve studied the deer, squirrels, rabbits and wolves. I learned how to move silently. I doubt many Romans could do the same.”

“I doubt most of our hunters could move as silently as you do,” the youth said with obvious envy. “Moving so quietly... the Roman guards never knew you were there. The same with those who were asleep. If any of them realized they were being attacked they were already dying.”

The youth told Raben how the clan reacted to the slaving attack. The people that survived the attack sent runners to the other clan villages. They in turn assembled their warriors to attempt a rescue. Unfortunately it took two days to assemble their force and they correctly feared the slavers would make it back to the Roman border fortresses before they could do so. That would have been the case if Raben hadn’t wiped the slavers out.

The surprised warriors met the freed clans people just as both groups reached the first village. It was a joyous reunion. The survivors reported they had been rescued by Raben. Naturally the rescuers found it difficult to believe the small young healer had been able to single handedly wipe out the entire slaving party. The survivors reported that the sentries all died with an arrow through their hearts and all those sleeping had their throats cut. They had taken ninety seven Roman bodies into the forest far enough off the Tauber so the rotting smell couldn’t be sensed. It was their story about the resurrected mercenary commander that unnerved the warriors much as it had done with the former prisoners. They all wondered if Raben had been finally able to totally kill the demon. Together they built the pyre for Erminlinda leaving it as Raben had requested. Then they all headed up the valley to the third village. With winter approaching, they knew they didn’t have time nor manpower to rebuild all three villages.

The first village had a population of forty nine before the attack. Only twenty three survived or escaped. The second village had fifty one people. Of these thirty seven survived or escaped. The third village had a population of forty five. Thirty two survived. The clan didn’t have the people to repopulate all three, the first village had lost half it’s people in the surprise assault. Fifty three clan members were killed, thirty two were men. There were only enough men to repopulate one village. With so many women and children without a man, they were distributed throughout the untouched clan villages. The third village was the closest to the rest of the clan so that was the one to be rebuilt. They also knew leaving the burned out villages as they were would serve to make any future raiders think going up the side valley would not be worth the effort.

“My horses are just around the bend,” Raben told the youth after listening to his explanation of what had happened. “I’ll head back then ride up the path. Give the signal when you see me. Now, try to keep track of me while I leave.” With that he ran noiselessly into the trees.

The teen quickly lost sight of Raben. Ten minutes later the sound of the horses upon the trail alerted the youthful guard to his approach. Putting an aurochs horn to his lips he blew three short blasts that echoed through the valley. That was the signal a friend was approaching.

As Raben entered the third village he saw they had made a great deal of progress rebuilding the site. Those who had been freed by Raben greeted him with respect. The warriors who came from other villages were a bit leery. They all knew the young boy was an excellent healer but had never even attempted to fight. Needless to say they were skeptical about his being a hero. It quickly became evident they doubted he’d been able to kill the Romans without assistance. The grumbling grew louder as the day progressed.

Finally he turned to the loudest grumblers. “Are you willing to make a wager?”

The men exchanged looks uncertainty. Gunter, a known brawler who was better than three times Raben’s size asked about the wager.

“A race from here to the slaver camp and back along the streams. I’ll go on foot against five men on horseback. I’ll have to beat them all. Send two men by horseback to the Slaver encampment early tomorrow morning. Those of us racing will depart at noon. We’ll race around the two at the camp then return here. Those waiting at the camp can follow us back.”

The overconfident man figured there was no way the scrawny teen could win such a long race. “What will we wager?”

“I’ll wager two of my horses against building me a cabin just outside this village,” Raben replied.

The wager was set. After breakfast the next morning two men, one of whom had been captured and knew the site of the slaver camp eighteen miles away. The race would be a grueling thirty six miles. At noon Raben and the five warriors on horseback began the race.

For the first three miles the horses easily outdistanced the youth, but then the ground grew soft which drastically cut down the speed of the horses. By the time they reached the first village Raben was within sight of the men on horseback. By the time they were a mile past the abandoned village following the Tauber, Raben was amongst them. Three miles later the horsemen couldn’t see the fleet footed teen who had passed them. The horseman would gallop over firm ground but then encountered more marsh once more slowing them down while Raben left them behind. The wetlands, churned up by the Romans, remained the dominant terrain for the next five miles. The men on horseback were barely able to urge their weary horses to trot. The last two miles before the slaver’s camp was dry land and they set off at a gallop to catch Raben.

The two men at the camp had tethered their horses and sat upon the ground waiting. They were amazed when they saw Raben burst from the trees. They watched expecting the horsemen to quickly follow. When he reached the men he sat down with them taking several droughts from his water skin. The three discussed how Raben had scouted the camp before wiping the slavers out.

Five minutes after Raben sat the first rider burst from the forest with the others not far behind. Needless to say they were shocked to see Raben sitting clearly resting. Raben promptly sprang to his feet and took off. The two men untethered and mounted their horses just as the five riders reached them. After being ridden hard for eighteen miles, with the last two at a gallop the horses were fatigued. The men tried to urge their horses to gallop the two miles of solid ground but the horses were too tired to give it their all. They never even caught sight of Raben on the return leg.

The three blast warning sounded and everyone gathered to see the winners. The villagers were surprised when Raben burst from the trees into the warren of activity. They looked expectantly for the horsemen to come in right on his heels. A half hour after the boy arrived the two men sent to the slaver camp arrived. They quickly quelled the worry saying the other men had ridden their horses until they were foaming at their mouths. It was an hour later the five men, now on foot, led their wasted steeds into the camp. The only thing that was said was to ask Raben where he wanted his cabin.

That evening Gunter, who had raced Raben, was in a surly mood. He didn’t like losing and certainly not to a scrawny boy. While Raben hadn’t taunted him several of his fellow hunter/warriors did. After several mugs of mead his manly pride demanded he prove Raben could never have taken out the slavers on his own.

“Boy, I’m going to prove you’re nothing but a wimp,” he growled as he stalked to the youth who was checking the wound of an injured girl off to one side of the village’s central fire.

Raben ignored him which pissed the big man off.

Reaching out Gunter grabbed the healer by an arm hauling him away from his patient. “I’m talking to you boy!”

Raben was lifted off his feet by the grab but quickly squirmed about in the big man’s grasp landing a savage kick to the side of his head. The blow staggered the man who dropped his quarry. Raben landed on his feet moving into a fighter’s stance.

“You’ve had too much to drink,” Raben told him. “I don’t want to hurt you so go sleep it off.”

That only enraged the big man. “You hurt me? Why you arrogant mutt! I’ll rip you limb from limb!” He then launched himself at the boy.

Raben dove between the man’s legs twisting 180° as he did so enabling him to land a solid punch into the man’s groin as he slid through then rolled to his feet ready for another attack.

The big man let out a tremendous “OOOFFF!” as he staggered a few steps grabbing his aching testicles.

Raben performed a flying drop kick impacting the groaning man’s ass. Like a massive tree crashing to earth the big bully fell face first with a THUD. Everyone watched in open mouthed amazement.

Raben sprang on the prone man’s back, grabbed his hair pulling his head back and placing the flat side of his knife against the man’s exposed throat. “This is how I killed the slavers! Only I used the sharp edge of the blade. Fortunately for you I don’t like killing. This is your first and last warning! Next time you’ll die!” With that he pulled the knife away and slammed the man’s face into the ground then stood sheathing the knife. As if nothing had happened he returned to the girl and her mother.

Needless to say everyone was stunned. The bear of a man was a known brawler and no one had ever seen him bested. That Raben had so easily defended himself and could have killed the man in mere seconds shocked everyone. The normally friendly and non aggressive healer obviously had a deadly side when angered. The story of how he single handedly killed ninety eight slavers no longer sounded far fetched. The story would grow to epic proportions over the succeeding months.

After that things settled down. Raben’s small cabin had been built up a narrow side valley with it’s own stream at the same location he’d led the fleeing villagers to safety. A corral and lean-to against the cabin created shelter for two horses. He traded the other two to a needy family in exchange for fodder and feed to maintain his two remaining horses. For much of the remainder of the fall he gathered the herbs and plants of his trade since the raid had destroyed much of the stores he and his mother had gathered. As winter set in salves and potions were made. Once a week he traveled by horseback to the surrounding villages treating those who needed help.

With the number of hunters reduced because of the raid Raben made his rounds riding one horse with the second serving as pack horse. He never failed to enter a village without either a deer or rabbits and squirrels which he gave to the populous.

The consortium that sponsored the slaving raid grew concerned about the missing raiding party when they hadn’t returned after a week. The Roman garrison at the Miltenberg fortress refused to send out search parties unless the regional governor ordered them to do so. The expedition had not been officially sanctioned so they didn’t want to get involved. Questioning travelers coming into the border crossing they learned of rumors about a slaving raid that had attacked several villages and had in turn been annihilated by the vengeful clan before they could return to the Roman Limes. The consortium discovered they couldn’t find anyone to hire to go out to try to find the missing expedition. The Roman governor pointedly refused any assistance. The peace between the Romans and Germanic tribes was fragile. A slaving raid could spark the tribes into war. The border legions and auxiliaries were on alert. As the weeks passed the fear of reprisal eased. Apparently the annihilation of the unsanctioned raid satisfied the Germanic tribes need for retribution. The consortium quietly dispersed to avoid further aggravating the Roman authorities.

German traders, both from the free tribes and from Germans who had taken up residence in the Roman towns regularly ventured across the border to trade. Their numbers were usually less than four or five people which didn’t rouse suspicions on either side. As the years passed the crazy tale that some small young healer had single handedly wiped out the slaver expedition seemed implausible but was so wide spread on both sides of the border that all knew it had some basis in fact.

Raben easily picked up the reins as the new clan Ianuarian. From his home base he made a monthly trek around the clan villages advising and teaching anyone interested in healing. As he traveled he let it be known that he was willing to accept apprentices who would accompany him during his monthly village rounds. They would be under his tutelage two weeks a month. In this way he ensured the clan would have trained healers.

During the two weeks a month without apprentices Raben trained and hunted. Running through the forested hills and boggy areas along streams built even more stamina and agility. Scampering up and down trees, leaping from limb to limb and even tree to tree like a squirrel built balance and grip strength. Leaping across fallen trees and streams learning to twist and contort learning to always land on his feet. Ropes made of braided leather strips were common. Using the ropes as a lasso was uncommon but not unknown. Raben practiced until he was able to snag targets up to fifty feet away. Already a skilled archer he became nearly perfect hitting a target at one hundred fifty yards and eighty percent at two hundred yards. Using one of mankind’s oldest weapons, the sling, he accurately hit targets within a hundred yards with a fifty percent accuracy at three hundred yards.

Two years after the slaving raid Raben took both horses out on a lone hunting trip. His goal was to take down a large bull aurochs. It took a few days until he found fresh signs. It took another day to close in on the fierce wild animal. It was a huge bull standing five feet ten inches tall and weighing about one thousand five hundred pounds. It took three well placed arrows to bring the beast down. Utilizing his horses he tied ropes around the rear legs, tossed the rope over a sturdy tree branch then used the horses to lift the huge carcass. Thus suspended he easily gutted the beast. Then he skinned the hide. Next he began to cut the body into easily handled pieces.

His next task was to frame a large lean-to with interior rails from which he suspended the carved meat. After building a fire he covered the lean-to with spruce tree boughs and then ferns which trapped the smoke and heat. For the next several days he tended the fire to smoke the meat. Tending the fire and making sure the smoke stayed inside the structure took about ten minutes per hour. In the time between tending the improvised smokehouse he scraped the hide. Once all the fat and flesh had been removed he thoroughly washed it in a nearby stream. Then he hung and stretched the hide on a drying frame he’d built

On the morning of the eighth day he tore down the impromptu smokehouse, loaded the smoked meat onto travois and panniers on the horses then strapped the drying frame atop the panniers of the strongest horse. When he returned home much of the meat was traded to the villagers in exchange for them tanning and waterproofing the hide.

That winter, tucked snugly in his cabin as snow storms hit the area, Raben began working the soft but tough waterproofed black leather. The first item he made was a hooded cloak that reached to his knees. The cloak featured a drawstring hood and numerous pockets inside. It would keep him dry and prevent wind from penetrating. From the remaining leather he cut out a set of gauntlets with leather thongs to lace them in place. Twin rows of metal studs were hammered into the leather running from wrist to elbow. Each half inch long stud was a quarter inch in diameter, pointed and spaced an inch apart. Next was a set of gloves to the first knuckle with four of the pointed half inch studs mounted before the knuckles. Last was a leather vest with numerous pockets to hold accessories. These items allowed the healer to move about without undo restrictions in nearly any weather. The gauntlets and gloves greatly increased the damage he could dish out in hand to hand combat.

While he occasionally received monetary payments for his services he never spent any bartering for all his needs. Over the years Raben exchanged the lesser coins he’d taken from the slavers for larger denominations or gold coins. He kept the jewels. The consolidation allowed him to comfortably carry his wealth in sturdy leather pouches. Many nights as he sat before the fire in his cabin he took out the spear head that had pierced Jesus. Dark red stains in the veins gave evidence it had seen bloody use.

Several times a wolf silently arrived at his door or camp. Packing his gear he followed, loping through the forests to where an injured wolf lay. There he treated the wounds. Twice he told the wolves there was nothing he could do to heal the wounded wolf. With the permission of the pack and the individual wolf, he eased it’s transition to the other side, burying the corpse.

The triplets reached the age of thirty four. Brothers Adalfuns and Adalbert, while beginning to grey, were still brawny, deep voiced, hirsute, seasoned and well respected warriors and woodsmen. Raben hadn’t visibly changed since killing the demon slaver twenty years before. He had neither grown nor aged. Since he had not entered puberty when the incident occurred his voice never changed and his body was still that of a hairless youth. His reddish black hair hung to his waist. Still only four feet ten inches tall and weighing ninety five pounds he was easily mistaken for a prepubescent twelve year old... more often a girl rather then a boy. However his appearance was deceiving. The small lithe healer was nearly as strong as his much larger siblings. His stamina was unmatched. He could run through the forests all day and easily go three days without sleep. While his herb lore was unmatched and his skill as a healer unequaled, the fact he didn’t age made people feel uneasy. The tales of his rescue of his clan and the destruction of the Roman demon had become legendary. Some began to wonder if the demon hadn’t been destroyed but moved to Raben. The idea he might be a witch sprung up. The only saving grace was that he never harmed anyone and seldom failed to heal those he tended to. Still the talk of being a demon grew. Jealousy about his abilities and seemingly eternal youth caused fear and apprehension to grow. The thing that saved him was his skills as a healer and his gifts of meat as he shared the bounty of his hunting. Wisely, Raben had trained five healers over the years. When things became too intense, he told the clan elders he was leaving to learn more about healing from the Romans. They were greatly relieved.

As the last of the winter snow melted Raben sat down with his birth mother, his brothers and their families and with the families of his younger half siblings for a farewell feast. Quite naturally he supplied a deer and a wild boar which his sister-in-laws prepared. After the meal he spoke quietly to those who had not lived through the slaving raid.

“My brothers and I were fourteen years old when the Roman slavers raided our villages. Along with our mother and many others, they were captured. I escaped the attack and then followed. That night as they camped I killed the guards, then slit the throats of the sleeping raiders. You know I’m a dedicated healer so it hurt my soul to take ninety eight lives. Then I freed all of our clans people who had been captured. However the military leader of the mercenaries bore a curse. He could not die nor did he age. I had killed him but his wounds healed and he came back to life. However he was weak and disoriented which allowed me to run a spear through him pinning him to a tree. We tied him to the tree and used arrows to nail his arms and legs to the trunk. We talked and he explained his Curse and how it always healed him, prevented him from ever being sick, prevented him from being poisoned, and kept him from aging. He was a twenty year old legionnaire when the Curse was put on him and he had lived for one hundred sixty five years since then. Then he explained he was weary of living and wished he could die.”

“I figured that if his body could regenerate, the only way he could die was to burn his body reducing it to ashes. That’s what I did, then I gathered up the remaining bones and teeth and crushed them. As I crushed the last bits I felt shocks shoot up my arms. When the last piece of him was powdered I felt the Curse move to me. Since then I have never been ill nor have I aged. The only thing evil about the Curse is I watch everyone around me age while I stay the same. It’s made my life difficult because I look like a kid when I’m as old as my brothers. The fact I don’t age frightens people. That’s why I’ve decided to leave.”

Looking at his nephews and nieces he added, “I will return but don’t know when. It will be years. I’m telling you now that you should not be surprised that I’ll show no sign of aging when I do come back. The cursed man had a signet ring to identify him to those who might doubt who he was. Here is a piece of leather with the mark of the ring embossed upon it so you or your descendants will recognize me.” The gathering ended with hugs.

As the leaves appeared on the trees Raben left. Determined to leave Germania Magna, Raben began a four day trip by riding slowly up the Tauber River carrying all he owned. The horses were strong, dependable and young. They were the third generation of the horses he’d taken from the slaver’s camp he’d exterminated. After a traveling about fifty miles he reached the site of present day Deibach {Google maps 49.606186, 9.744039} where he headed up the tributary stream Wohnbach for about three miles before heading upstream along the Davidsbach for a mile and a half then up the Katzenklinge a half mile to it’s headwaters. {Shillingsfurst Google maps 49.282910, 10.258165} Just five hundred feet to the west is the headwaters of the Wornitz which he followed for twenty five miles to the present day town of Wilburgstetten. From there he followed the Rotach upstream for three and a half miles then turned to follow the Gaxharterb Bach which he followed three and a half miles to it’s headwater. From the ridge above the spring he saw a Roman Fort of Halheim {Google maps 48.974843, 10.277102} about a mile away across a valley in the Roman Province of Raetia.

A lone rider with a pack horse, especially a youth, posed no threat so the Roman guards on duty disinterestedly watched Raben’s steady approach across the valley. They noted the rider’s diminutive size and the fact the hooded leather cloak hid his figure. When he reached the gate Raben flicked his hood down so the guards could see his face.

“Well, I’ve never seen a German bitch ride up all on her own,” the decanus {corporal} of the gate guard drawled in Latin as he eyed the baby faced long haired youth as she stopped her horse before the fort’s open gate. With a predatory grin he approached the horse and rider. “I bet she’s a virgin fleeing her smelly husband to be!”

“Your manners are horrible,” Raben calmly replied in flawless Latin as he looked down upon the surprised decanus. Because of his Curse endued ability with languages he had no problem communicating with the guards. “I’m most definitely not a bitch since I’m male.”

The munifex {private} guards did their best to hide their chuckles at seeing the often overbearing always grumpy decanus caught off guard and so effectively shut down. “You certainly don’t look male, bitch” the decanus blustered. “What’s your business?”

“I hope your impertinence is not representative of the Roman legions,” Raben cooly replied. “I’m an Ianuarian. I want to go to Rome to study healing to add to my skills.”

“You’re an Ianuarian? You’re not even wet behind the ears,” the indignant decanus scoffed. “More likely you’re an apprentice running away from your master with stolen horses!”

“The horses are mine,” Raben declared. “Granted, my clan did take a hundred ten horses when we wiped out a slave raiding party who attacked us twenty years ago. We took the horses as partial payment for the death of our clansmen after annihilating the slavers.”

“I’ve heard stories of a slave raiding party that disappeared about twenty years ago,” one of the other guards said. “They left out of Miltenberg up north on the Main River. It was led by a supposedly invincible ex-centurion with a hundred mercenaries. I guess he wasn’t so invincible after all.”

“He was a tough bastard to kill,” Raben calmly said. “The clan Ianuarian at that time singlehandedly killed the entire raiding party while they slept before freeing the prisoners. The survivors swore the centurion came back to life after having his throat cut. The Ianuarian speared him to a tree then built a fire burning his body to ashes. After that they called him the Demon Slayer.”

“You seem to know a lot about the massacre of a Roman force,” the decanus growled.

“I’m a direct relative of that Ianuarian,” Raben answered. “It was not an official Roman party. They were all mercenaries. That’s why the Roman governor never sent out a force to find them.”

“They were still Romans,” the decanus grumbled. “They were never avenged.”

“After killing men as well as women, children and babies during their surprise attack on three villages they deserved no mercy,” Raben boldly stated. “They were without honor, cowards. They got what they deserved.”

The decanus lost it. Reaching up he grabbed Raben’s cloak violently pulling him from his horse.

Much to everyone’s surprise the boy added to the imparted energy to launch himself into a somersault over the decanus’ head, twisting about as he did so. When parallel to the ground and shoulder height to the grizzled snarky decanus Raben launched a savage kick striking the decanus on his helmet. The solid THUNK dropped the burly veteran like a rock while Raben landed on his feet with a Roman short sword in one hand and a wicked dagger in the other, both pulled from their sheaths inside his cloak, clearly ready to fight.

“I came in peace,” Raben declared in a hard no nonsense voice to the other stunned guards. “Yet I am attacked without provocation. If this is what Roman justice means, I understand why so many resist Roman rule.”

The other guards drew their swords exchanging wary glances as they tried to figure out how to handle the wildcat that had been unleashed.

“ENOUGH,” a voice bellowed from above.

Everyone looked up to see their Centurion, the commander of the fort, with four bow equipped guards with notched arrows aimed at Raben. The soldiers on the ground stepped back.

“Servus, you are the new squad decanus. Have the FORMER decanus taken to the infirmary, when he wakes up tell him he has been demoted to munifex. Young man, I assure you Rome is not a bully. You may enter.”

“Thank you, sir,” Raben bowed as he sheathed his weapons. “Like my predecessor I hate killing but I assure you I am quite deadly. Because of my small size I am often underestimated. You obviously saw my response to being pulled from my horse. I’ve grown quite accustomed to having to prove my ability to take care of myself. I could have easily killed all these guards.”

“It was quite impressive,” the centurion agreed. “I doubt I’d have believed such could be done if I hadn’t witnessed it. Are you any good as a healer?”

“I was the clan Ianuarian which means I was the best in our clan,” Raben answered.

“My wife is in labor,” the centurion said. “But there is something wrong and we all fear for the life of the child as well as her own. The midwife and local healer do not know how to solve the issue.”

“I can’t promise to solve the issue but I will see what I can do,” Raben declared.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 5: 195 CE: Tending to Romans

A few minutes later the centurion led Raben into a two story stone home. The moans of his wife could be heard as soon as they entered. Without hesitating he ran up the stairs and into the room where the moaning woman lay on a bed. The midwife and the healer were ineffectively tending to the woman.

“Have you given her anything?” Raben asked as he moved to the woman’s side and began to gently palpitate her swollen tummy.

“Who are you?” The healer asked indignantly as he tried to maintain control.

“I’m an Ianuarian,” Raben declared. “Now answer my question! What have you given her?”

“Get out,” The healer demanded. “You’re too young to know what to do.”

“The baby is turned,” Raben declared as he glared at the healer. “It’s too late to try to properly realign it. That should have been done when labor began. It will never come out naturally.”

“I tried to turn the child but he made me stop,” the midwife sobbed indicating the healer.

“You were hurting the mother,” the healer defended.

“A bit of pain is tolerable to ensure a natural birth,” Raben growled. “By delaying the process you have endangered the mother and child. Now I must take drastic measures, cutting the child from her body, to save both.”

“That will kill them,” the intimidated healer whined.

“Don’t project your limitations on me,” Raben snapped in reply. “This woman and her child will die if the baby isn’t taken. Tell me what you’ve given her!”

“Tell him what you’ve given her,” the clearly angry centurion ordered. “It’s obvious you don’t know what to do, he at least has an idea!”

“I’ve given her mandrake potion to dull the pain,” the healer begrudgingly admitted.

Raben nodded. “Is there a sturdy table in your kitchen and do you have water boiling?” After receiving a nod he began ordering those in attendance about. “Boil as much water as you can. Then thoroughly wash the table. In a second pot boil clean cloths for at least ten minutes and slowly pour boiling water over the table then wipe it down with vinegar. I’ll give her medications to make her sleep then when the water and table are ready we’ll need her taken to the kitchen and placed on the table. I’ll need all the vinegar you have as well as some honey, a whisk and a small bowl that has been cleaned and boiled. We need to move quickly!”

“Save my child, even if it means I die,” the mother to be gasped as another painful contraction hit.

“I’ll do my best to save you and the child,” Raben assured her. “Now I need you to sleep.”

Twenty minutes later Raben had his kit prepared. In the small bowl he diluted honey with boiling water to make a gel. Taking a clean cloth soaked in vinegar he thoroughly washed the baby bulge. From his opened surgical kit he pulled out several long thin strips of sinew which he submerged in the bowl of vinegar. After wiping his hands on a cloth he picked up an finely tooled obsidian blade. With a smooth stroke he split open the skin of the mother’s bloated tummy. A second stroke severed the abdominal muscles exposing her uterus.

Those watching were horribly fascinated as Raben worked. With another swift stroke he opened the uterus. Reaching inside he gently lifted the embryonic sack containing the child. Placing the child on birthing clothes he sliced open sack exposing the child who began to flail his arms and cry.

“Take the child,” Raben ordered the midwife as he turned back to the mother. After cleaning the inside of the uterus with vinegar he used the soaked sinew to carefully sew the uterus closed covering the stitched wound with diluted honey. Then he carefully sewed the severed abdominal muscles back together with more vinegar soaked sinew again covering the wound with a thin coat of diluted honey. Lastly he sewed her skin closed with vinegar soaked sinew coating the scar with a thin layer of honey.

“She should wake up in an hour or so. If she finds the pain too great give her small doses of mandrake potion no more than every four hours but only for two days. The wounds should heal with proper care,” Raben stated after the forty minute procedure. “When the birthing cloths are dry place one atop the wound. If you wash and then boil the cloths for ten minutes, once dried and kept clean they can be reused. Change them every four hours making sure to lightly coat the wound with honey. Make sure she doesn’t get out of bed for five days. After that, she should do no lifting for two weeks and light lifting for a further two weeks. Failure to do so could result in the wounds splitting open and death. You’ll need to procure a temporary wet nurse since she should not nurse the child until she’s been off the mandrake potion for one full day.”

With that he checked the baby pronouncing it healthy. The midwife was awed by Raben’s calm efficiency and competency. The healer was humbled by Raben’s obvious skill. Never had he seen anyone do what he’d done, saving both mother and child in such circumstances.

“You’ve done this before,” the midwife stated.

“Yes, several times,” Raben answered. “My adopted mother was the clan Ianuarian and I learned from her as I grew. As her son I was with her all the time. My age masks my abilities.”

“I could have taken the child,” the healer whined.

“Probably,” Raben agreed. “But you would kill the mother doing so.”

The healer didn’t reply because he knew what Raben said was true.

The centurion was speechless. He’d seen healers operate on wounded soldiers but they were clearly not in Raben’s league. Never had he seen such skill or caring. The tough veteran realized his impromptu decision to bring the youth to see his wife was the best decision he’d recently made. Then he asked the young healer to stay a few days to insure his wife would be okay.

After Raben cleaned and repacked his med kit the grateful centurion rode with him to the tabernae (inn) in the settlement that had grown around the Halheim border fort. There was a wall about four feet high and a foot thick around the site of the tabernae. A sign hung on the gate post proclaiming the business to be a tabernae. The twin wooden swing gates were open indicating they were open for business. Two men and a boy standing in front of the building entrance interrupted their conversation as they saw Raben and the centurion ride inside the compound.

“This young man will be staying here for a few days,” the centurion declared. “He’s the best healer I’ve ever seen. He just saved the life of my son and wife. I’ll pay for all his expenses. See that he has the best. I’ll see you in the morning, Raben.” With that the centurion left to return to his duties.

“Of course, Centurion Didius,” the owner replied with a slight bow as the centurion left. “Boy, take this healer’s horses to the stable.”

Raben slid off the horse quickly pulling his packs with him. The stableboy took his horses with assurances the animals would be brushed and fed. The owner led Raben inside.

“This is the main room,” he explained. “Meals and drinks are served here. You’ve missed lunch and it’ll be another three hours before supper is ready. If you can’t wait until then we can provide cheese and bread Latrines are out through that door. You’ll have a cot in the main room upstairs for the night.”

“As you can guess from my appearance I’ve just crossed the border,” Raben began. “This is my first time in Roman territory. I mean no offence. Will my things be safe if I leave them by the bed?”

“No offence taken,” the tabernae keeper answered. “I wouldn’t leave anything valuable unattended.”

“Thank you,” Raben replied as he shouldered his packs. “I’ll explore the town until meal time.” With that he left the tabernae. For the next three hours he walked around the small community. The bakery fascinated him. In Germania Magna, the non-Roman area of Germany, most households made their own baked goods. To have most people buy their daily bread was a new concept. He also realized that doing so required the use of money instead of the familiar barter. The inquisitive healer spoke to many villagers gaining knowledge of how things were done on this side of the border. Nearly three quarters of the people he met thought he was a young girl which he quickly corrected.

Before returning to the tabernae Raben stopped by the centurion’s home to check on the mother and babe. The grateful father welcomed the healer. His wife, still weak and a bit groggy from the mandrake potion, profusely thanked Raben.

Returning to the tabernae, Raben entered the public room. The open room had two areas, one with benches and tables primarily for drinking and the other mostly tables for eating before drinking. Raben ate a hearty meal while keeping a wary eye on the small group of boisterous and obnoxious men on the other side of the room drinking. Apparently the others in the room were accustomed to the miscreants for they ignored them while conspicuously avoiding them.

Raben tensed as he recognized one of the repugnant voices. “That’s the bastard over there eating.” It was the voice of the decanus he’d knocked out this morning... or more correctly the demoted decanus. “Twenty five years down the drain thanks to him! The little bastard needs to be taught a lesson.” The man and his three companions rose to their feet and stalked towards Raben.

Raben slipped his fingerless studded gloves on, rose and headed for the door as the four men closed in. Once outside Raben dropped his gear turning to face the men as they exited behind him. Nearly everyone else followed to watch the expected carnage.

“You men should go back to your barracks before you get hurt,” Raben stated in a clear calm voice after confirming they were soldiers.

“You little bastard, you got the drop on me this morning, now you’re going to pay!” With that the irate man lunged at Raben as his companions encircled him.

Raben dove forward under the lunge tripping the man before rolling back to his feet. The man slammed face first into the gravel outside the tabernae. The man’s companions charged Raben from three directions. Raben used his agility to slip between them before they could close. The closest swung a powerful right hook which Raben barely avoided. Realizing the attackers were not going to stop the assault and that the onlookers were urging carnage, Raben launched a powerful uppercut connecting firmly to the nearest man’s chin. The four studs above his knuckles punched through the man’s flesh into the bone, snapping his head back as blood spouted from the wounds instantly knocking him out.

Before the man hit the ground Raben spun to the side to avoid another attack while slamming his studded bracer into the man’s face. The studs did exactly what they were designed to do puncturing six holes from his chin, across his cheek, then shattering the bridge of his nose leaving two holes in his forehead. The injured man continuously bellowed in pain as he grabbed his bloody face while stumbling forward to drop to his knees as blood flowed through his fingers.

While Raben faced the startled clearly frightened fourth man, who was backing away from the small hellcat, the demoted man had regained his feet. The wails of the injured man masked his movements as he tackled Raben from behind. The agile healer noted the onlookers looking behind him which gave him just enough time to instinctually twist as he was being taken down so he landed on his back rather than his stomach. The impact with the ground knocked the breath out of both. The man’s arms were around Raben’s waist with his head on the healer’s chest as they both struggled to catch their breath.

Since he was in much better shape Raben recovered almost instantly unleashing a flurry of punches from both hands against the unprotected head of the man who had started the fight. The results were painfully staggering to the ignorant man. Before the ex-decanus could catch his breath the repeated blows of the studs mounted on Raben’s fingerless gloves shredded the man’s ears and the skin of his bald head. The pain was so intense his initial howls of pain were agonized grunts since as soon as he drew in a breath he expelled it in a cry of pain. After nearly a minute the man managed to pull his arms free from their pinned grasp about Raben’s waist and roll off the determined healer. The battered man found himself so beat up he couldn’t even sit up much less attempt to stand.

Those who had watched the uneven battle were stunned. Other than being tackled and landing on his butt Raben had not been injured. One of the men was unconscious and bleeding profusely from a
a broken jaw. Another was seated on his butt cradling his shattered face. The man that started it all was moaning with his hands trembling so severely he couldn’t begin to cover his shredded ears and scalp. The fourth man had fled and was no where to be seen.

Raben retrieved his pack. “I’ll need a lot of boiling water, vinegar, honey and clean cloths,” he ordered of the startled onlookers. “Some of you keep the injured men from moving and hurting themselves more until I can treat them.”

Several people headed into the tabernae to get what he requested. Some moved to keep the injured still. The others watched in disbelief as Raben opened his healer’s kit and one by one he headed to the men he’d incapacitated. To each he administered a heavy dose of mandrake potion to deaden their pain. Raben was relieved as the unconscious man instinctually swallowed when the potion when it was put in his mouth.

Maneuvering the unconscious man into a safe position he cleaned the wounds and wrapped the man’s shattered bleeding jaw to stop the bleeding. “If he wakes up keep him calm and still. Do not let him talk. I’ll sew him up after I tend to the others.”

Next he moved to the man with the busted up face. “Your nose is broken and needs to be reset. It’s going to hurt like hell but needs to be done. I’ll need you to lie down. I’ll need a person to hold each arm and leg and another to hold his head still while I reset his nose.” With a bit of gentle probing with his fingers he sussed out the breaks. After careful palpitation with his thumbs he gave a precise sharp dual jab. A clearly audible “CRACK” was heard.

The man grunted and drew in his breath.

“That’s better but it needs more adjustment.” With that said he repeated the procedure two more times until he was satisfied. Then he carefully cleaned the puncture wounds with vinegar removing crushed flesh, sewed them closed, then coated them with honey. “Keep the wounds clean and for the next two days lightly coat them with honey. I’ll be staying here for a few days so I want to see you each day to make sure there is no infection.”

The man nodded his head.

Raben approached the grizzled veteran who instigated the short brutal brawl. His eyes glared at the young person who had now twice so easily beaten him. The fact the boy had stopped fighting as soon as his opponent had been rendered impotent and began treating the injuries he’d inflicted mystified him as well as all the onlookers. None of them had witnessed such an abrupt turnabout.

“I’m sorry I had to hurt you,” Raben addressed him. “I’m a healer and I hate injuring others but when I’m forced to defend myself or others I’ll do so. I ripped you up pretty good and I’ll need to sew up your wounds. It will hurt but if you don’t let me clean your wounds and sew them closed I can pretty much guarantee they’ll become infected and you’ll die. If you want me to leave you alone I’ll do so but you will die painfully.”

The grizzled vet glared at Raben for a few moments. “Take care of Silvanus first.”

Raben nodded and turned to the man who was just starting to painfully regain consciousness. “Your jaw is broken. It will take five or six weeks to heal. You can not chew during that time. You should not even move your jaw. You’ll need to keep your teeth together and will need to drink your nourishment. All solid food will need to be pulped. Fortunately with the two teeth now removed you’ll have a conduit to pass the food into your mouth. Failure to follow my instructions will cause your jaw not to heal and will eventually kill you. First I need to check your teeth to determine if any treatment is needed. Then I’ll need to sew up your wounds. It is critical you hold your head still while I do so. Do you understand?”

The man was clearly scared but nodded his head. Raben set to work. Carefully and gently opening his mouth he checked the teeth. Two on the left top, the outer incisor and canine, were broken. Removing a primitive pliers from his kit he laboriously removed the remains of the broken teeth. Next he cleaned and sewed the wounds. Finally he made a sling to hold the man’s jaw firmly in place against the rest of his head. Then he administered a second dose of mandrake potion to dull the pain and lull the man to sleep.

“Take him and the other man to the infirmary,” Raben declared. “Tell the medicus I’ll stop by to explain their treatment and care.”

With that he turned to the man who started the fight. “What is your name?”

“Ulixes,” the battered man answered.

“A most fitting name,” Raben nodded. “It means to be angry or to hate. Now, Ulixes, may I treat your wounds?”

“Why?” Ulixes asked in utter confusion. “Why do you treat us so kindly when we attacked you?”

“I have no choice,” Raben answered. “I am an Ianuarian. My earliest memories are of accompanying and assisting my adoptive mother who was an Ianuarian. In my heart I am a healer. I’ve learned to fight and even kill, but I don’t like doing so. Now, may I treat your wounds?”

Ulixes nodded his head. The man was tough. Not a sound escaped him as he stoically sat through the cleaning and stitching of his lacerated head and the reconstruction of his nearly shredded ears.

The crowd was impressed by Raben’s surgical skill and Ulixes’ ability to endure pain. As he stood Ulixes was a bit woozy from the mandrake potion and the alcohol he’d consumed in the tabernae. Raben packed his med kit then escorted Ulixes to the post infirmary. After speaking with the medicus and reassuring that he would return in the morning he turned to leave.

Just outside the infirmary the fort centurion stood waiting for him. “I understand you had another run in with Ulixes and a few of his companions.”

“A simple misunderstanding,” Raben replied. “Unfortunately they’ll be in the infirmary for a bit. A rough estimate will be that worst will be about six weeks. The other two will need two weeks then light duty for two weeks.”

“You savaged them then treated them,” the centurion chuckled. “You are a rare one. I had my doubts when you said you could take the eight guards this morning, now I think you may have been right. Taking out three of my toughest fighters without a scratch is impressive. Did you learn how to fight from that Demon Slayer? Perhaps you’d like to join the legion?”

“The Demon Slayer trained me. Thank you for the offer but no,” Raben smiled with a head nod. “I want to travel to Rome and then to Corinth and Athens in Greece to learn to be a better healer.”

“I understand,” The centurion smiled. “I’ll see you in the morning.”

Raben returned to the tabernae then headed to a bed in the men’s dormitory. The men in the drinking hall exchanged looks of mystification.

The next morning Raben ate a bit of bread and cheese in the tabernae then headed over to the centurion’s home. The new mother was awake cuddling her newborn. After checking mother and child he pronounced both were doing well. He also went over the mother’s restrictions concerning bed rest and lifting restrictions as well as again cautioning her to wait a full day after taking the mandrake potion before nursing.

At the infirmary the medicus warmly greeted Raben. While older than the young healer the military doctor recognized the youth’s obvious skill. Together they checked on the three soldiers who had been severely injured and then skillfully treated. The trio were allowed to get out of bed and move about the fort but were cautioned to take things easy and to spend a week sleeping in the infirmary.

Centurion Didius entered the infirmary as the bandaged trio exited giving them a withering gaze as he did so. “Well Raben, has their prognosis changed?”

“If there is no infection and if he follows my directions the man with the broken jaw should be able to return to light duty in about three weeks and full duty in six,” Raben explained. “If he doesn’t follow my instructions, the broken jaw will not heal and will become infected killing him. The man with the broken nose should be able to return to light duty in one week, full duty in three. As for Ulixes, light duty in one week and full duty in two weeks.”

The centurion shook his head. “Three good soldiers down for stupidity.”

“I don’t know much about the Rome or her Legions,” Raben declared. “If I want to expand my medical knowledge, I’ll need to learn Rome’s ways so I don’t create more issues like those that arose yesterday. The next centurion I meet may not be as understanding as you have been.”

“I’ll tell you now if you hadn’t saved my wife and child, I’d have arrested you for what you did to my men,” Centurion Didius admitted.

“No offense,” Raben replied. “I thought that might be the case. Would you object if I stayed for a week to keep an eye on my patients? I’ll use the time to learn a bit about Roman ways. I can pay for my stay at the tabernae so you won’t be put out.”

“I’ll let the garrison know you’re staying and are under my protection,” Centurion Didius agreed.

The next six days were spent treating patients. Word of Raben’s skill spread quickly and people streamed into Halheim to seek treatment. With the permission of the centurion and with the local healer and the garrison medicus as apprentices, a lean-to tent was set against the town side of the walls of the fort to treat those in need. The two medical men were amazed at Raben’s skill and range of knowledge.

All newcomers were stunned when they met Raben. Most thought him to be a young female apprentice of the great healer they’d come to see. Many became upset at being told the truth that Raben was indeed the healer. Still, they warily allowed him to treat them. None left disappointed.

Infections were cleansed with vinegar then treated with natural antibiotics in mosses, honey, and mushrooms. Raben showed them that deep wounds need to be cleansed and sterilized with vinegar then sewn closed from the inside out. Honey made an effective topical ointment to keep infections starting until wounds scabbed over. Seven patients had crooked limbs from badly healed breaks. After meticulous prodding Raben explained he could re-break the bones and reset the bones. However, doing so would require surgery and weeks of recovery and there was a great chance of infection and death.

After consulting with their families three decided to let Raben repair the badly healed old breaks. In preparation a caldron was set up and brought to a boil. A sturdy table with tie down points was set up. Clean, dry boiled cloths were prepared. A brazier and small table were set up beside the operating table. The man with the badly healed leg was brought in along with his family. After he was dosed with pain killers and sedatives Raben explained what he was about to do and what they would be required to do once the surgery was completed. Once he had their agreement he gave them a last chance to back out.

Over the next two hours Raben strapped three firm boards about the leg to stabilize it, then cut open the leg exposing the mis-healed bone. With a hammer and chisel he tediously chipped away the ridge of misaligned healed bone before carefully cracking the bone. Several slivers of bone were also chipped off above and below the break. The bones were then realigned with the bone chips inserted into the gaps that resulted to act as a lattice like bridge to facilitate bone growth. The wound was then sewn closed and a forth board was used to make the leg immobile.

The next patients needed arms repaired which was a bit easier. The medicus had seen many war related injuries but had never seen anyone attempt what Raben had done. The entire town was buzzing about the healer’s skills. No one had ever seen a healer so young. They all realized the youth was indeed aa skilled Ianuarian.

Raben wound up staying in Halheim for a month to make sure the centurion’s wife and the three limbs he’d surgically repaired healed properly. During that time he continued treating people and training the local healer and the medicus. The young healer refused to set prices for his services asking that the patient and family pay what they can.

The thing that amazed the citizens and the Roman soldiers was that Ulixes had changed. A life long brawler as well as a skilled warrior, the severe beating delivered by a mere youth had broken through his tough guy facade. What really changed him however was the utterly expected change Raben had exhibited once the last attacker was down. Instead of savagely adding more damage he’d done a one hundred eighty degree turn from formidable fighter to skilled healer effectively healing those he’d just beaten. Never had he ever seen someone do that and such behavior had most certainly never occurred to him.

Truth be told Ulixes had never been happy. Growing up a poor orphan, a street urchin, he joined the Roman Army as soon as he was old enough. His rough abrasive attitude was the result of his harsh youth. The army had been his life, unsatisfactory as it was. The fact he’d been demoted really ate at him since he was awaiting his retirement after twenty five years. Veterans received the equivalent of thirteen years wages as a retirement bonus. With the demotion he’d lost quite a bit of money. What really had been bothering him for months was that he had no idea what he’d do once he retired. At forty two he had no civilian skills. The only bright spot was his growing friendship with Raben.

Two things sealed Ulixes’ change in attitude. First was Raben’s willingness to not only treat all who needed healing but his willingness to share his knowledge and skills with anyone who was interested. The second was that in the evenings, the 4 feet 10 inch, 95 pound youth could easily drink everyone in the tabernae under the table and get up the next day without a hangover.

When off duty Ulixes became Raben’s shadow. The youth’s open friendliness and willingness to help anyone was so opposite what Ulixis had experienced in his life. When his papers for retirement came through Ulixes asked Raben a question.

“My retirement came through,” Ulixes declared as they ate their evening meal. “I need to be out of the barracks by the end of the week. To be honest, before I met you I’d have never admitted that I’ve been afraid of retiring. I have no skills other than being a soldier. My only prospect is to become a mercenary. How would you like a crusty old man as a traveling companion? You’re so small and young most people will treat you like I did when we first met. My presence should eliminate those issues. I’m not asking for pay, food and a place to sleep will be enough.”

Raben could see how difficult it was for Ulixes to ask... no beg... to accompany his travels. “Having an older traveling companion might make things easier on my journey. If we do this, there may be times it might be best if we say I’m your grandson. If asked we’ll say the rest of our family is dead and you’re accompanying me to further my medical study.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Ulixes nodded. “How old are you?”

“Fourteen,” Raben answered since that had been his age when he received the Curse.

“Don’t get upset,” Ulixes said. “But if we’re going to present as grandfather and grandson, there are times it might be better for you to be my granddaughter.”

Raben shook his head. “I am often mistaken for a girl. I’ve had to fight way too many times to prove I’m male. Let me think about it for a bit.” Knowing he was both male and female Raben had often wandered what it would be like to present as a female. Living with the clan doing so had been impossible. Now... it might be safe to experiment.

Ulixes used part of his discharge pay to purchase a horse. Two days later on May 1 they set out from Halheim traveling south into the Roman province of Raetia. Raben had a scroll from Centurion Didius serving as a letter of introduction for Raben. After traveling about fifteen miles they stopped at a tabernae near the present day town of Neresheim {GM 48.974843, 10.277102}. Neither were accustomed to the joys of being on horseback on actual roads for extended periods. The next day they continued south for fifteen miles to the present day town of Lauingen {GM 48.974843, 10.277102} on the Danube River. In the morning they crossed on a wooden bridge and joined the main road heading upstream along the southern shore of the Danube.

They traveled sixteen miles on the main Roman road to spend the night in the town that became present day Gunzburg {GM 48.448907, 10.294966}. The next days were twenty four miles to Illerkirchberg {GM 48.335719, 9.996168}, eighteen miles to Emerkingen {GM 48.214974, 9.655855}, twenty miles to Mengen (Google maps 48.048402, 9.338291) and twenty one to Stockach {GM 47.849261, 9.008701} just inside the border of the Roman Province of Germania Superior. The next day was sixteen miles to Eschenz, Switzerland {GM 47.645863, 8.873191} just on the other side of the Rhine as it leaves Lake Untersee. From there the next several days saw them traveling thirteen miles to Winterthur {GM 47.492692, 8.727708}, twenty two miles to Baden {GM 47.468443, 8.306676}, twenty two miles to Olten {GM 47.345759, 7.904302}, twenty one miles to Solothurn {GM 47.213737, 7.536728}, a short fourteen miles to Brugg {GM 47.118356, 7.277400} near the northern end of Lake Bielersee, twenty four miles to Avenches {GM 46.875956, 7.036777}, twenty one miles to Moudon {GM 46.665726, 6.799555} then fifteen miles to Vevey {GM 46.464047, 6.861624} on Lake Geneva. Halfway through that leg they crossed into the Roman Provence of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. The next day they traveled around the tip of the lake and up the Rhone River nineteen miles to Monthey {GM 46.257974, 6.948662}. From there it was another thirteen miles to the provincial capital of Forum Claudii Vallensium at Martigny {GM 46.102775, 7.073969}.

During their eighteen day trek the duo discussed many things. At every overnight Tabernae stay Raben treated anyone who needed medical aid. Again he accepted whatever payment the patient could afford. The income was always more than what he spent. As they rode they talked. Raben learned of Ulixes’ harsh and often frustrating unhappy life. The man admitted Raben was the only good thing to have ever come into his life. Raben also recounted his life. That he was the smallest and youngest of triplets, adopted at birth by the clan Ianuarian when it became evident he’d be abandoned as too weak to survive. How he grew up at Erminlinda’s side learning about healing and herbal lore since he was old enough to understand.

On the fifteenth day of their journey Raben finally told of the slaver’s raid when he was fourteen, how his adoptive mother had been crucified, how he chased down the slavers and killed them all, and how he had burned the dead body of the ex-centurion Marcellus Gallio, then powdered his bones and teeth to dust. Ending the tale with how doing so had transferred the Curse to him.

Ulixes was silent as the rode for the next two hours. “That’s the slaving raid that never returned... twenty years ago... you were fourteen... you’re still fourteen.”

“I have not aged since gaining the Curse,” Raben stated. “Physically I’m still fourteen but I’m really thirty four.”

“That explains why you’re such a skilled Ianuarian,” Ulixes nodded calmly. “But if you were able to take out eight guards and cut the throats of ninety men while they slept before you received the Curse, you had to have awesome skills for your age.”

Raben explained how he had no friends and spent his free time in the forests, running, climbing trees, and learning to move silently. How he was able to develop an affinity with wild animals that allowed him to walk into a herd of deer. How he learned to defend himself against bullies often bigger than him.

He also explained that Marcellus Gallio had passed on his property and signet ring and that they were heading to the provincial capital to transfer the title to the property. Ulixes understood he’d truly latched on to a spitfire.

Raben, now using the name of Raben Gallio, headed to the offices of the Provincial Roman Governor. There he presented the signet ring that identified him as the heir of Marcellus Gallio, the retired deceased Centurion. It took two days and a few quiet bribes to have an amended deed for Barmaz prepared and pay the appropriate transfer taxes. The property consisted of the area drained by the Torrent De Barme, a tributary to La Vieze which flowed into the Rhone River.

Once that was settled Raben came to a decision. “I’ve been thinking about your idea that I sometimes appear as a girl. That does have merit.”

Ulixes nodded his agreement.

They headed to the forum and browsed the stalls. With a bit of haggling they purchased two of the longer women’s style tunics. They left the tabernae where they had been staying. Finding an isolated spot, with a bit of trepidation about his dual sexuality, Raben switched from a male’s tunic to a female’s tunic.

Ulixes chuckled. “It’s amazing. Anyone seeing you will naturally think you’re a girl. Simply by changing clothes you’ve switched gender.”

“Thank you... I think. Well, if I’m presenting as a girl I need a girl’s name,” Raben sighed as he’d already chosen a suitable name. “Fiachdubh, that’s Celtic for raven, an appropriate name since Raben means raven in German. My female name will be Fiach.”

Ulixes chuckled. He really liked Raben.

Raben was glad his disguise was solid but also a bit unnerved that the transformation had been so easy. They spent two days at a different tabernae with Fiach as the granddaughter of Ulixes. The youth was amazed at how differently people treated him. Where as a boy he’d been ignored and often scoffed at, as a girl most people treated him cordially. Most let her say what she had to say. However it was quite disconcerting to be leered at.

Raben changed back to presenting as male and they headed back thirteen miles along the Rhone River to Monthey which was at a height of 1640 feet above sea level. There they turned up the side valley of the stream La Vieze heading four miles to the village of Val-Illiez at a height of 2625 feet where they spent the night. The next day they continued upstream two miles through the village of Champery at a height of 3280 feet then another two miles where they left the La Vieze at a height of 3775 feet to follow the smaller tributary stream the Torrent De Barme.

On May 24 the traveling companions arrived at the land Raben now owned, the entire watershed of the Torrent De Barme. As they entered his bizarrely inherited land he began checking out his possession. The initial drainage area was heavily forested, 1000 feet wide and rose 165 feet over 1800 feet. The next 2000 feet was in a partially forested valley with a fairly flat bottom 1000 feet wide with ever steepening sides which became rocky and steep. The next 1300 feet rose 330 feet while the next 700 feet rose another 330 feet. In these areas were several irregular shaped small lower pastures delineated from the forested areas by stacked stone walls about two feet wide and three feet high. The dirt cart path zig zagged up the steeper climbs of the valley roughly following the stream. The multi building farmstead at Barmaz sat at a height of 4850 feet, a rise of 1075 feet over a linear distance of one and a tenth miles but was in reality double that because of the zig zag cart path. The upper pastures reached a heights of up to 5750 feet. The main farm buildings sat on a relatively flat middle pasture area 1600 feet deep and 3200 feet wide backed against a 500 feet wide north east facing 150 feet high vertical rock cliff with a tree covered scree 65 feet wide and 65 feet high. The wide bowl shaped upper pasture valley began at the top of the cliff and ran back 6400 feet with a narrowing width of 3200 feet to 1200 feet. There was quite a bit more land on either side of that but it was unusable being either rocky and precipitous.

The watershed of the Torrent De Barme, which Raben now owned, drains an area of 2900 acres. Sixty percent, 1740 acres, is to steep or rocky to be usable. Fifteen percent, 435 acres, is forested. Twenty five percent, 725 acres, is pasture. At 9051 feet the nearby multiple peaked mountain tops of Les Dents Blanches were one and a third mile due south of the farmstead. The melt water from the north slope flows into the land. The present day border of Switzerland and France runs along the south and west mountain top ridge of the Torrent De Barme watershed.

It was late afternoon when Raben and Ulixes topped the last steep incline from the valley into the lower pastures that held the farmstead. {GM 46.149067, 6.832021} The isolated and dead end location very rarely received visitors. They were quickly spotted by a woman outside the main farmhouse who grabbed a curved ram’s horn trumpet to let out a blast. Wisely they dismounted their horses and stood waiting. Over the next twenty minutes two men, one clearly older than the other, and a teen boy armed with staves or pitchforks came running from the various pastures. A wizened old woman stood in the door of the home while an middle aged woman and younger woman held staves outside the home on either side of the old woman. Once the men gathered protectively in front of the women Raben and Ulixes began to walk toward them leading their horses.

“We come in peace,” Raben declared as they stopped about twenty feet apart. “My name is Raben Gallio, the heir of Marcellus Gallio and the new owner of Barmaz. This is my traveling companion Ulixes. We have come from Forum Claudii Vallensium where I registered the change of ownership. I came to look over my holdings and to renew the agreements made with you as tenants of this farmstead.” With that he pulled a scroll from his saddlebag and held it out for the men to see.

The older man warily stepped forward to look at the scroll. While he couldn’t read, he recognized the seal of the provincial governor. “It’s been over thirty years since we last saw Marcellus Gallio. We’ve been fearing someone would wonder if he was dead and the farm would be taken over by someone seeking to exploit us.”

“I am taking over,” Raben answered. “I have no desire to exploit you. Unfortunately I know nothing about farming in these mountains and have no knowledge of the agreements you had to run the farm. I would like to learn and, if you are honest with me, make a new agreement so you can continue to live here. I will not be settling in at this time as I have things to do in Rome.”

The old man scowled a bit. “Do we have any other choice?”

“Other than killing me, no,” Raben answered. “But without me you’ll be at the mercy of the Romans.”

“Aren’t you a Roman?”

“Technically, no, although I’m the heir to the Roman, Marcellus Gallio. Actually, I’m a German from the Hermunduri tribe,” Raben explained. “Ulixes gained Roman citizenship by serving twenty five years in the Roman Legions. He’s only recently retired. We will not put you out of your home and have brought provisions which we’ll share with you. We’ll be happy bunking in a barn.”

The weapons, such as they were, were put up. The three women began walking toward the newcomers while a teen girl carrying an older infant, a small boy and a toddler girl stepped outside the house to watch.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 7: 195-196 CE: A Haven, Eagle and Rome

After a brief introduction the women prepared supper the men accompanied by the curious and energetic boy took Raben and Ulixes on a quick tour of Barmaz. There were several low piled stone fences around the farmstead and a few blocking off access to dangerous slopes. In the middle pasture there were fifteen milk producing cows for milk which became one of their cash crops of cheese as well as yogurt and cream with a few older cows sold off for beef each year to keep the herd young. Grazing amongst the cows were twenty goats which produced milk and cheese as well as wool and two donkeys each used to pull two wheeled carts down to the villages. The milk producing cows and goats were kept primarily in the middle pastures for ease of milking. In the upper pastures the bull and cows with calves as well as the buck goats and does with kids foraged. There were also one hundred sheep, raised for wool and meat. Twenty five pigs were kept in the smaller lower pastures. In the upper pasture were four scattered animal sheds to provide shelter during thunder storms. There were two smaller animal sheds in the lower pasture for the pigs. The farm was primarily pasture land with small vegetable plots for family use by the farmstead. About twenty five chickens, primarily for family use, lived in a coop at the side of the farmstead.

As they were returning to the farmstead from their tour the screech of a golden eagle rang out. They all looked to see the large majestic bird of prey swooping down upon a chicken that had wandered away from the protection of the buildings. Before anyone else could react Raben snagged the sling he carried in his belt as well as two round stones from a pocket. One stone dropped into the pouch of the sling as he began to twirl the sling. The eagle was flying away with a squawking chicken clutched in it’s deadly claws. At a distance of three hundred yards Raben let the stone fly, promptly loaded the second stone and began twirling again. Much to the amazement of those about him the stone struck the eagle. The stunned bird fluttered about but stayed aloft and maintained it’s grip on it’s prey but was unable to continue it’s escape. The second stone hit, dropping the eagle.

The big bird plummeted to the earth hitting with a solid THUNK. The farmers and Ulixes were amazed. Raben had launched two stones from his sling in less than thirty seconds, both hitting his target at three hundred yards. Trotting to the fallen birds Raben checked the chicken quickly noting the wounds were serious but not necessarily fatal. Gently he stroked the hen helping her calm down.

Raben looked to one of the boys. “Take the hen. Keep her cupped in your hands so she can’t move her wings. When we get my med kit I’ll treat her wounds and sew them closed after I’m done with the eagle.”

The amazed boy carefully accepted the chicken and his charge.

Checking the eagle Raben noted the bird was regaining it’s senses but had broken a wing. Acting quickly he pulled a leather bag from a pouch of his cloak and slipped it over the eagle’s head, gently tying the drawstrings to hold it in place as he softly spoke to the anxious bird. Almost instantly the panicking bird stilled. Pulling a rawhide string from another pouch he tied the talons together as a precaution. “I’ll try to reset the broken wing. If it’s successful we can release him back into the wild in about six weeks.”

“I’ve given up trying to make sense of him,” Ulixes chuckled. “When we first met I pulled him off his horse. He managed to knock me senseless. That evening I was getting drunk and he was in the tabernae eating. My buddies and I decided we’d teach him a lesson. Outside he took us on and knocked the crap out of all of us. As soon as we were down he opened his med kit and began patching us up, sewing up our wounds. That scrawny lad put the three Roman soldiers in the infirmary for a week. Turns out he’s a top notch healer, an Ianuarian in fact. Set up shop and treated everyone who needed help, never asked for a thing but accepted what they could give.”

The entire farmstead gathered round to watch Raben calm the majestic bird then gingerly reset the broken wing. After the judicious placement of a splint he used strips of cloth to bind the wing against the bird’s body. A twisted rawhide rope was wrapped around one leg just above the claws to tether the big bird while it healed. Trimming branches off several nearby evergreen trees Raben made a bird hutch away from the buildings with fresh water and meat. Raben sat before the eagle and removed the hood speaking softly to reassure the bird he would not be killed.

The eagle looked around taking in his surroundings, especially Raben. Reaching inside his cloak he pulled out his flute and played a whimsical tune. The eagle cocked it’s head about in several directions checking out the flute and the person playing it. When he finished the tune he held out his hand for the eagle to sniff. Much to everyone’s surprise the eagle then allowed him to stroke his feathers before showing it the food and water. Slowly he rose to his feet and walked away. The bird seemed to accept his situation.

Next Raben turned his attention to the chicken. After gently plucking the feathers adjacent to the wounds he carefully cleaned them then stitched them closed. Then he released the bird allowing it to return to it’s flock. By then while it was still daylight, the sun dipped below the multiple peaks of Dents De Blanches sending the valley into a long twilight.

Raben and Ulixes joined the inhabitants of the farmstead for their evening meal. The Bricius family managed Barmaz. The oldest was a wizened fifty nine year old woman, a great grandmother. Her gray haired craggy faced son was forty three. His grey haired weathered faced wife was thirty nine. Their son was a robust twenty three and his wife was nineteen. They had a five year old son, a three year old daughter, and a one year old son. The older couple had a fifteen year old son and a thirteen year old daughter. Raben explained his healing skills and his goal of heading to Rome and Corinth and possibly Alexandria to further his medical knowledge.

Each day Raben fed and exercised the Eagle. From the first day onward a female eagle flew over the roost screeching at the tethered male who would answer. Since eagles mate for life they all rightly assumed the female was checking up on her mate. By the second week the female would land and approach the male and spend time together. By the third week Raben was able to join the pair speaking softly and giving them treats. Those who watched were amazed.

During the next weeks the new comers learned about how the farm operated. Once a week they took a cart with cheese and other goods down valley to the market in Monthey, nine miles from the farmstead. Going down they covered the route in three hours and spent five hours in a market stall. Since the return was all uphill it took five hours. If the weather wasn’t too bad they could do the round trip in a day.

Everyone was fascinated by Raben’s natural affinity for animals and his skills as a healer. That he could so easily approach and tend to the majestic bird while it bristled at all the rest only reinforced his uniqueness. On a plank Raben wrote the Latin alphabet and taught the extended family rudimentary reading and writing. He left the scrolls he’d gathered over the years so they could practice.

Raben realized he needed a well off the beaten track place to serve as a base and safe house. Barmaz was perfect. There were no routes through it. There were no geological natural resources. The farm was barely above subsistence level. Barmaz was centrally located in Europe yet was a dead end in the high Alps, barely accessible with nothing worth fighting over. He also realized that Rome had reached it’s zenith and was on the verge of a long bloody decline. The so called barbarians were constantly pressing against the borders. With his never ending youth he would live through the decline. A safe place would help assure his future and give him a place to stash valuable objects. Gold, silver and jewels would be part of that. But if Rome collapsed, knowledge would also be critical. Raben decided scrolls would be a good investment for the future.

Realizing that with the upcoming turmoil, even if was a few hundred years away, a secure hidden hideaway would be critical. With that in mind he began looking for a secure yet accessible hiding place. After weighing the possibilities, he decided to use the scree from the cliff behind the farm buildings. The surface of the North east facing scree was 65 feet high and 65 feet deep lying at a forty five degree angle against the cliff that soared 150 feet high above the crumbled rocks.

The small stream draining the upper valley ran just outside the scree field, clearly having been forced out by the fallen stones. To do what Raben intended, the stream would need to be rerouted further away. Twenty five feet outside the scree field he and Ulixes dug a trench three feet deep and seven feet wide. Taking stones from the scree they lined the trench creating a trench five feet wide at the bottom two feet deep with tapered sides at a fifteen degree angle. At the upper limit of the scree field they built a low wall that diverted the stream into the new stone lined trench.

Unknown to anyone, he’d dug a secret pit just above the outer edge of the scree by the base of the cliff. The stone lined chamber was a cube of two feet accessed by a single large stone that completely covered the pit directing rain and melt water away. The chamber would stay dry and in it he stashed the coins and jewelry he’d taken from the Roman raiding party as well as half of what he’d earned during the trip and the precious spear tip.

Each day Raben carefully unbound the eagles wings and allowed the bird to move them. With the splint still on the bird didn’t attempt to fly. After six weeks everyone watched as Raben removed the splint and removed the tether. The eagle walked about keeping an eye on everyone. Once satisfied he was safe the bird spread his wings and tentatively flapped. Once he understood he was free he let out several loud screeches. In a few moments he leap into the air and flew off. The female swooped in to join her mate as they flew off to their eyrie.

On the first of July Raben and Ulixes bid the farmstead and Bricius family goodbye. The agreement made allowing the Bricius’ to stay was generous. They had to keep the farm and animals in good shape. They could sell the wool, cheese, and meat as they saw fit while maintaining the herds/flocks. They could keep any coin they earned but had to pay any taxes. Raben’s goal was to travel to Rome via the Poeininus Mons high mountain pass through the Alps, known today as the St. Bernard Pass.

It took a full day for Raben and Ulixes to return to Forum Claudii Vallensium (Martigny) at an elevation of 1575 feet. After spending the night they followed the Drance de Bagnes, another tributary of the Rhone, for eight miles to the village of Sembrancher, elevation 2375 feet, a rise of 800 feet. They then headed south along the Drance d’Entremont for four miles to the village of Orsieres {GM 46.025952, 7.145462}at an elevation of 2950 feet, a rise of 575 feet. They spent the night there having traveled twelve miles while climbing 1375 feet.

In the morning they traveled four and a half miles to the village of Liddes at an elevation of 4325 feet. They continued on another four miles to the village of Bourg St. Pierre {GM 45.950751, 7.207689} at an elevation of 5250 feet. Once more they stopped for the night having traveled only eight and a half miles but climbing 2300 feet. Still tired from the steep climb of the previous day the next day they traveled five miles to Bourg St. Bernard {GM 45.899821, 7.193759} at an elevation of 6400 feet a rise of 1150 feet. Since this was the last stop before the summit they decided to spend the night.

In the morning they set out on the last uphill leg. The four mile trek rose 1700 feet to the crest of the Poeninus Mons at an elevation of 8100 feet {GM 45.868661, 7.171415}. After a short break to enjoy the view they began the downward portion of the pass traveling four and a half miles to Praz D’Arc Chez Lugon at an elevation of 6475 feet a drop of 1625 feet where they spent the night.

The next day they traveled four miles through St. Rhemy at an elevation of 5250 for another four miles to St. Oyen at an elevation of 4425 feet for a total drop of 2075 feet. They spent the night in a shared tent. The next day they continued traveling five and a half miles through the Gignon at an elevation of 3200 feet then another five miles to Aosta at an elevation of 1650 feet for a total drop of 2775 feet. The following day they rode nineteen miles to Fabbrica at an elevation of 1300 feet for a drop of 350 feet. The last day of the trip over the Alpine pass they traveled 20 miles to Ivrea at an elevation of 825 feet and a drop of 475 feet.

The journey through the pass from Forum Claudii Vallensium to Aosta took eight days of steady travel. The road was busy with traders and other travelers moving to and from the outlying Roman Provinces and Italy. They had climbed 6475 feet from Forum Claudii Vallensium to the pass then descended 7225 feet to Ivrea. As the crow flies the distance from Forum Claudi Vallensium to the pass was seventeen miles, by the road it was twenty nine and a half miles. From the pass to Ivrea the distance as the crow flies was forty eight miles, by road it was sixty two miles.

The rest of the trip to Rome went smoothly. Their route followed well maintained Roman roads and they made good time. As they traveled Ulixes was instrumental in helping Raben learn about the turbulent recent history of the Roman Empire.

Marcus Aurelius became the Roman co-emperor along with Lucius Verus the year Raben had been born. Lucius Verus died of Antonine plague, thought to be small pox or measles, in 169. Marcus Aurelius was sole emperor until three years before his death from natural causes when his son Commodus became co-emperor in 177. With the death of his father in 180 Commodus became sole emperor serving eight years. During his reign corruption became endemic in the selling of positions in the civil government as well as the military. Commodus also styled himself to be Hercules reincarnated often fighting in the arena against both animals and gladiators. Fed up with his increasing megalomania Commodus was strangled in his bath on New years Eve 192 ushering in 193, the year of five emperors.

The praetorian guard installed Pertinax as emperor. Born the son of a freed slave he worked his way up the military ranks. From the moment he took over he tried to implement reforms to undo the corruption that brought down Commodus and to stabilize the currency. One of those was to institute reforms in the praetorian guard. Not liking those reforms they killed him after eighty six days. The praetorians then auctioned off the office of emperor.

Didius Julianus, the proconsul of Africa won the bidding becoming emperor. Upon his accession, Julianus immediately reversed the monetary reforms by devaluing the Roman currency. After the initial confusion had subsided, the population did not tamely submit to the dishonor brought upon Rome. Whenever Julianus appeared in public he was saluted with groans. When news of the public anger in Rome spread across the Empire, the generals Pescennius Niger in Syria, Septimius Severus in Pannonia, and Clodius Albinus in Britain, each having three legions under his command, refused to recognize the authority of Julianus and separately declared themselves emperor. Julianus declared Severus a public enemy because he was the nearest of the three and therefore the most dangerous foe. Severus secured the support of Albinus by declaring him Caesar and took the fleet at Ravenna. He defeated the Praetorian prefect who had been sent to halt his progress. The Praetorian Guard lacking discipline and training were incapable of offering any effectual resistance. Severus ignored all overtures and pressed forward, all Italy declaring for him as he advanced. The Senate passed a motion proclaiming Severus emperor and sentenced Julianus to death, having reigned only sixty five days. At the same time Niger rallied his allies in the east and began to march on Rome. Severus sent troops to stop him. In 194 Severus defeated and beheaded Niger then campaigned to eliminate all who had been Niger’s allies.

Thus the political climate in Rome was just beginning to settle down when Raben and Ulixes arrived in the capital in late July. The first few days were spent exploring the city. There was a lot of construction as a massive fire had swept through the city in 191. The huge buildings amazed Raben. Having lived most of his life in primarily timber buildings with stone foundations, he had been a bit impressed by the brick and modest stone buildings he’d encountered on his travels. Seeing the huge temples and coliseum left him in awe. The extensive viaducts supplying the city with water were an engineering marvel. Yet despite all that he found the crowded city uncomfortable and smelly. There were simply too many people crammed together. In the poorer sections the crowding inevitably led to unsanitary conditions.

They located and rented a modest apartment in a middle class enclave in a less crowded section of the city. While Ulixes enjoyed the pleasures the city had to offer, Raben sought out a forum to study medicine. Much to the surprise of the physicians, they found the youngster to be quite knowledgeable. His ability to diagnose and treat the sick and injured was positively noticed as was his herbal lore. Several older physicians, the old guard of Roman medicine, were jealous of his skills and practices which sometimes ran counter to their traditional methods and practices. When their vitriol failed to stifle the young newcomer rumors of plots to poison Raben began to circulate.

Raben knew the rumors were true since he was indeed poisoned six different times. While the poisons would have been fatal to normal men, Raben’s Curse let him slough off the deadly effects with no ill after effects. Well attuned to his physical well being, he sensed whenever he ingested a poison. At those times he confidently proclaimed he’d been poisoned, identifying the agent used. Each time he attributed his ability to withstand poisoning to the Goddess Ianuaria of whom he was a favorite. Those plotting against him grew wary of his claims, afraid they were true and backed off.

Galen of Pergamum, the aging personal physician of Emperor Septimus Severus, had also survived numerous plots against him by jealous Roman physicians. Impressed by Raben’s talents he invited him to accompany him as he made house calls to the wealthy including the imperial court. With that foot in the door of the upper echelons of Roman society, Raben Longinus quickly established a wealthy clientele. That’s not to say he didn’t treat the poor. He developed a reputation for successfully treating bad health situations for anyone in need. He followed the practice of Roman physicians to charge for services rendered based upon the wealth of the patient. It wasn’t long until many were indebted to the what they thought was a precocious youth. With his calm efficiency Raben’s wealth grew steadily. With wise investments, within a year of arriving in Rome he was considered quite wealthy.

With the goal of accumulating and safely keeping scrolls and manuscripts through any political upheavals, Raben wanted to establish a scriptorium where current scrolls, manuscripts, and other writings could be copied. By making multiple copies he could sell copies as well as secrete copies for safe storage. His male and female first names meant Raven. The Latin name for Raven is Corvus. He decided to name the new enterprise Corvus Scriptorium.

The Minius family were middle class merchants. After the founding patriarch died, the oldest son took over. Within months he had run the business into the ground. Debts grew to untenable proportions and the lenders demanded payment. In response the son took his own life. Everything the family had accumulated was seized to pay the debts. The surviving family was left homeless with only the clothes they wore but at least they hadn’t been indentured. Raben had been aware of the family’s misfortune but was surprised they had been mercilessly been put into the streets. Immediately he sought them out. There was an open apartment in the building where Raben lived and he offered to pay the rent.

By that time the matriarch had been thoroughly humiliated and humbled. Trying to keep her family together and fed while living on the streets had broken her pride. Eagerly she accepted the gift agreeing to Raben’s request she see to his laundry and meals. He gave her a stipend to pay for the food.

The widowed matriarch was forty five, her deceased son left behind a twenty year old widow and one year old child. In addition there were three sons ages fifteen, thirteen, and eight as well as three daughters ages sixteen, eleven and seven. Their short time on the street had disabused all of any arrogance. They knew Raben had saved their family.

Raben, accompanied by Ulixes, had been riding back to their apartment from a wealthy estate after saving a mother and child in a difficult birth. Their attention was drawn by loud voices on a hillside above the road. Several riders in armor were engaged in military training. As they watched one of the horses stumbled sending the horse and rider head over heels down the hillside. It was instantly clear it was a nasty fall. Without hesitation Raben urged his horse off the road galloping towards the debacle.

He reached it at the same time the fallen rider’s companions did. The rider was lying motionless and obviously suffered broken bones. The horse had a broken leg and was thrashing about squealing horribly. Raben was off his horse and at the fallen rider’s side before his companions throwing his body between the unconscious man and the thrashing horse.

“Kill the horse before he causes more injuries,” Raben ordered as he was struck by a flailing hoof.

The horse was quickly dispatched. Shrugging off the harsh blow he’d received Raben then began to check the fallen rider as Ulixes arrived. The rider was a robust teenager but his injuries were nasty. The priority was to control the bleeding. The bones of his left forearm had snapped puncturing the skin. The left leg was bent at an unnatural angle. Blood was trickling from the teen’s ears. Following Raben’s brusk orders slender trees and limbs were gathered. While Ulixes supervised the construction of a stretcher Raben secured the injured limbs and the youth’s head. A rider was dispatched to the estate villa with instructions to boil plenty of water, get clean bandages, some honey and lots of vinegar. An area with a sturdy table and plenty of light near the kitchen was also to be prepared. By the time they transferred the youth to the stretcher several people from the villa arrived.

A concerned distinguished elderly man was clearly the one in charge. His face blanched when he saw the injured teen. With his military experience he noted the bindings were professionally applied. “Who are you,” he asked Raben seeing that he was responsible for the triage. “More importantly, will he survive?”

Time on My Hands
Chapter 8: 196-198 CE: A Place in Rome

Raben identified himself and explained it was to early too give a prognosis. The elderly gentleman recognized Raben Longinus’ name and knew that despite his apparent youth he was a well respected physician. He and Raben rode back to the villa to make sure the requested preparations had been made while Ulixes oversaw sturdy estate workers as they gently carried the stretcher with the comatose severely injured teen.

By the time the stretcher arrived Raben had the impromptu surgery set up. The youth’s name was
Titus. His grandfather was Domitian Flavius, the family patriarch and a distant relatives of the Flavian emperors. They were an long esteemed Roman Senatorial family dating back to the days of the Republic. The fourteen year old, like most Roman elites, after completing their education joined the army as junior officers. Serving at least ten years in a legion was virtually required for all high government and military positions. The teen was completing his formal education and being taught the basics of military horsemanship on the family estate. While charging down a hill the horse broke a leg causing horse and rider to take the nasty spill Raben witnessed.

After transferring Titus to the cleaned and sanitized table Raben checked his vital signs. The youth’s eyes were unresponsive and his pulse shallow and irregular. A closer exam of his skull revealed a taut unyielding swelling the size of a walnut just above the hairline atop his head. The swelling had not been present during the initial examination. Immediately he shaved the hair off the swelling and surrounding area then gently washed the area with vinegar.

“This swelling is entirely too tight and was not there when I initially checked,” Raben informed the watching family. “I have to open it to relieve the pressure. There is a good chance blood or other fluid will spray out until the pressure is relieved so don’t be alarmed.”

With skill he lanced the lump. As predicted a bloody liquid squirted out quickly shrinking the bulge. Cleaning the now seeping wound with a vinegar soaked cloth he gently probed. Using a scalpel he cut a U shaped flap of skin he could lift to reveal the bone beneath. The bone was fractured in a star pattern with the center depressed. It looked like he’d impacted upon a rounded stone. With sharp probes he managed to pick the small bone slivers out of the wound. Carefully he placed the skin flap over the wound.

“The broken bone was pushing against his brain,” Raben explained. “I removed the broken bone but need to place a solid patch over the hole. I assume you have a blacksmith?”

After Domitian nodded Raben continued. “The only safe patch is gold since it won’t corrode. Soak gold coins in vinegar. Wipe the anvil and the hammer with vinegar. Have the blacksmith weld the coins together by hammering them and shaping them into a 2½ inch circle ¼ inch thick in the center with the edges tapered. Place the disk in a bowl of vinegar and bring it here. I’ll use it to patch the hole in his skull. Please rush it.”

Domitian sprang into action ordering a trusted servant to carry out Raben’s request. Then he anxiously watched as Raben cleaned and carefully cut into the victims left forearm. With great care he reassembled the shattered bone fragments, frequently rinsing with vinegar. Before sewing the wound closed he heavily rinsed it with vinegar. Once closed up he splinted the arm. The process took two hours. Next he reset the broken leg before splinting it. By then the hammered gold patch was brought in. Checking the patient’s eyes he smiled to see they responded to the light. After rinsing the wound with vinegar he lifted the skin flap, added a slit to enable the gold patch to be slipped under and centered over the hole. Once in position he sewed the wound closed.

“Now we wait,” a clearly weary Raben sighed. “I’ve done all I could do. The rest is up to him. I recommend you have someone who is familiar sit with him and talk softly to him. Tell him stories of your life or favorite stories from his childhood or just talk about life in general. Even though he is unconscious, with brain injuries patients can sometimes hear. They may not remember what was said but positive encouragement can influence his will to live. Whatever you do, DO NOT say anything negative where he can hear it. With brain injuries having seizures is a possibility. If he seizes, do your best to hold him down.”

“Please, stay,” Domitian urged. “I’ve seen many head injuries in my years as a soldier. Most were fatal. However I’ve never seen anyone treat them as you have.”

“It’s important to keep the pressure off the brain,” Raben explained. “His unresponsive eyes told me there was a severe head injury. The lump told me where. After that it was just a matter of relieving the pressure. The fact his eyes responded before I put in the patch in proved the pressure was relieved. I can’t promise he’ll live. If he lives I can’t promise he won’t have limitations.”

“Thank you,” Domitian said. “I’ve seen soldiers with unresponsive eyes. They all died. The fact what you did alleviated the unresponsiveness is amazing. You’ve given him and my family a chance. His father, my son, was with Anullinus at the battle of Issus in May 194. While Niger was decisively defeated my son lost his life in the fighting. My grandson Titus is the only one left to carry the family name. If he dies...” The old man choked up unable to speak.

“I’ll do all I can to see he lives,” Raben reassured him.

The next day Raben had the kitchen staff make a gruel of crushed grains boiled in chicken stock. Then he trained several people to carefully spoon the thickened liquid into the unconscious teen. After each spoonful they learned to gently stroke his throat until he swallowed.

It was five very arduous days before the tough youth awoke. Once he was coherent Raben explained his injuries as well as the restrictions they engendered. Domitian reinforced the importance of following Raben’s medical orders.

Assured that at a minimum Titus would be able to continue the family line the grateful patriarch told Raben he’s give him whatever he asked for if it was in his power to do so. Raben decided to be bold.

“If Titus makes a complete recovery, except for scaring, I’d like a small portion of your estate to build a home with some fields,” Raben told him. “If there is any other outcome I want nothing, however, as the splints come off he’ll need to follow a strict exercise program.”

Domitian gratefully agreed.

As the weeks passed, Titus slowly but steadily recovered. When the splints from his leg were removed Raben set him up on a daily rehab program. While the youth protested, his grandfather bluntly informed him that he won’t even be alive if it wasn’t for Raben’s prodigious ability as a physician.

“During my time with the legions I saw hundreds of men die from injuries less severe than your’s,” Domitian declared. “I saw Raben cut open your head wound. Blood exploded from it shooting across the room. Then he picked the broken bone chunks out of the hole and off your brain. Then he had a patch made of gold coins hammered together and inserted it beneath the skin to seal the hole. In all my years I’ve NEVER seen anyone recover from a wound like you suffered. Then he worked on your arm. The bones were shattered and sticking out. My experience told me the only thing to be done was to amputate. Raben took the time to reassemble the pieces and reattach the muscles. Whatever he tells you to do to recover, you WILL do it!”

After ten weeks the splints on the left arm were removed. While the scaring was evident, the function of the arm slowly returned. At the end of six months, in March 196, other than the scars, Titus had made a remarkable recovery only needing to rebuild his strength.

The Flavius estate was located on the north side of Tiber River west of and including the toe of the 2 mile long Mons Vaticanus Ridge just north and west of Nero’s Circus. The portion Raben selected began at the base of the southeast corner of the toe located: base of SE corner/toe of 2 mile long Mons Vaticanus Ridge, W/Tiber, ½ mile west of Nero’s Circus and a mile north of the Via Aurelia {GM 41.904034, 12.442623}. The trapazoid portion ran west southwest along base of the toe down into the valley {175 feet ASL} then up a hilltop 335 feet ASL 3575 feet away. From there it ran north 2000 feet across a saddle to second 335 feet ASL hilltop. From there it turned east for 4150 feet back into the valley up across the top of 400 feet ASL Mons Vaticanus ridge dropping off the east cliff to the base. From there the boundary ran south for 1000 feet along base to the start. The dimensions of the hilltop toe of Mons Vaticanus was also trapazoid with the south 725 feet, the west 1150 feet, the north 1150 feet, and the east 1000 feet. The hilltop overlooked the Circus Neronis from the northwest.

There would be no buildings on Mons Vaticanus which would have an olive grove and grazing on top. The west slope would be terraced for a vineyard. The north, west and southern boundary would be demarcated by a sturdy stone wall with a foundation 3 feet deep by 4 feet wide built to a height of 4 feet above ground level. The north foundation and wall would be cemented and plastered to form a water tight wall. All structures would be built against the north boundary wall and touching it’s neighbors forming a solid line of structures along that boundary to totally prevent traffic from passing down the valley. Each floor would be 12 feet in height and 40 feet in depth. A three story stone manor home 60 feet long would be built on the hilltop. Adjacent to and below the home a large six story scriptorium would be built on and into the slope with each having a ground level entrance. The largest floor would be the 210 feet long 6th floor since it would extend over the tops of the lower floors as they descended the hill. The 6th and the 180 feet long 5th floor would be where the copying took place. The 150 feet long 4th floor would be the dormitory for workers. The 120 feet long 3rd floor would be split for kitchens/dining and for storage of paper, papyrus, parchment and vellum. The 90 feet long 2nd floor would be for selling and viewing writings as well as storage for completed writings. The 60 feet long 1st floor would be for preparing parchment and vellum making it suitable for writing. The next building would be a two story 60 feet long butcher shop. The 2nd floor would be level with the 1st floor of the scriptorium and perform the same function. Then would be a single story 60 feet long blacksmith shop, then a 90 feet long dairy for milk and cheese, a single story 90 feet long winery, a 30 feet long chicken house, then a series of two story barns, the first floors for animal and vehicle shelter with the upper for grain, hay and straw storage. Goats, sheep, cattle, horses and chickens would be in the open fields.

The north watertight boundary wall would be considerably higher and thicker in the lowest portion of the valley tapering from the standard 4 feet high to a center height of 25 feet over a length of 500 feet. An overflow and stream would be made at the center to create a pond 4875 feet long This would act as a dam to catch and retain rain that flowed down the roughly 9000 feet long by 3000 feet wide valley. A terra cotta siphon pipe would allow the water to be tapped out for farm use.

While Raben didn’t agree with slavery, it was an accepted, customary, and vital part of all life, even amongst the barbarians. Everyone with a solid income owned slaves. As a prosperous physician it would look out of place and draw negative attention if he didn’t own slaves. Since societal expectations forced him to become a slave owner he decided to treat his slaves with humanely. They would not be whipped or chained, they would have decent food, shelter and clothing. They would have ready available medical treatments. They would be allowed to marry with the spouses kept together and their children would be born free. When they became too old to work they would be freed and provided with all they needed.

Raben decided to name his small farm/estate/scriptorium ‘Mazbar’, a variant on Barmaz. Raben hired a builder and bought twelve slaves to do most of the labor in building the estate. Additional hired laborers built the boundary walls. They cleared every rock and stone from the land stacking them in the foundation of the wall. Raben had no problem getting wagons loads of rock delivered to the property as payment for his medical skills. Once the walls were built a small herd of goats, sheep, cattle and chickens were released onto the grassy slopes of the hills. By then the manor house was built. Ulixes had married the Minius widow and adopted her family so they moved in to tend the animals. The vineyard and olive trees were also planted. Raben’s small estate had a steady supply of meat, milk, cheese, and eggs.

By January 197 the home was ready for occupation. Hiring a few scribes he set them to work making copies of manuscripts and began spreading the word about Corvus Scriptorium. The initial stated purpose was to collect medical scrolls and sell copies, some of which were his own medical treatises. As the buildings were completed he moved into them hiring people who knew the skilled jobs. The major construction on Mazbar was completed by September 197. The slaves were spread out between the various aspects of the growing operation.

Raben did his best to respect other’s beliefs. However, the way Roman Emperors often declared themselves Gods simply rubbed him the wrong way. He’d met the goddess Ianuaria but wasn’t sure if it had been a dream. Waking up with the wolves inferred it had been real. As far as Christianity was concerned, Raben knew his Curse came from Jesus. But the infighting and disagreements that seemed endemic amongst the different Bishops left a lot to be desired. The idea of people fighting amongst themselves about a faith that preached love simply didn’t make sense. If the Jewish/Christian God cared for their followers why did they let their faith be twisted and used to further the goals of greedy humans?

Because of his curse, Raben was curious about Jesus and his followers known as Christians. Having grown up in polytheistic Celtic/Germanic religion he was accustomed to worshiping in consecrated woods or groves to dedicated to individual gods of their pantheon. The use of divination and auguries was commonplace. Sacrifices of animals and sometimes humans was practiced. The gods were all about them with no need for temples which the Germanic people deemed unsuitable for the gods. All in all the Celtic/Germanic religion consisted of interlocking and closely interrelated gods and practices rather than as one indivisible religion. As such it consisted of individual worshipers, family traditions and regional cults within a broadly consistent framework.

Roman pantheistic religion was controlled by the elite and quite public. The triumphal marches of conquering generals had massive religious overtones with large portions of the captured wealth dedicated to the gods as the victorious general demonstrated his piety. Roman Religion depended on knowledge and the correct public practice of prayer, ritual, and sacrifice, not on faith or dogma.

The answers Raben got from subtle inquiries about Christianity gave him a feeling of disquiet. The refusal of Christians to participate in public religion was problematic to most of the populace as it was to the elites and contributed to a general hostility toward Christians. Much of the non-Christian populace maintained a sense that bad things would happen if the established gods were not respected and worshiped properly. Due to the rumored secret Christian practices of eating the "blood and body" of Christ and referring to each other as "brothers" and "sisters" many thought them to be cannibals and incestuous. Christian beliefs did not endear the believers to Roman officials: they worshiped a convicted and executed criminal, refused to swear allegiance to the Emperor, harshly criticized Rome in their Holy books and suspiciously conducted their rites in private. However the concerns and fears about Christianity didn’t seem to ring true to the inquisitive Ianuarian.

Raben’s subtle questions about Christianity mixed in with other questions about Roman culture succeeded in keeping the elite unaware of his true curiosity. They assumed that as a barbarian, abet a knowledgeable physician, he was simply trying to learn about his adopted home, Rome. However, those who were secretly Christian realized his questions were more than cursory. During February 197 Raben was invited to a private diner with a prominent Roman. One of the other guests was the Bishop of Rome, Pope Victor I.

Pope Victor I was the first who tried to assert that Rome was the ultimate authority in the early Christian church. Most notably, he tried to force overall acceptance of the Roman date for Easter over that celebrated by the Bishops of Asia Minor. The last supper occurred on Thursday night, 14 Nisan on the Jewish calendar, the eve of Passover. Those Bishops insisted Easter be celebrated on 14 Nisan, regardless of what day of the week it occurred. Other Bishops, including the Bishop of Rome, felt the days of the week were more important thus Easter should be the Sunday following 14 Nisan. Victor threatened the bishops of Asia Minor with excommunication if they did not abandon their practice. When they defied him he went through the motions of carrying out the sentence. The sentence was apparently withdrawn later, since the Asian churches remained in communion with Rome and their practices in fact continued in Asia Minor for several centuries. Still, Victor’s threat was reputedly the first papal act to influence the ecclesiastical affairs of the Eastern patriarchs. He is also believed to have been the first pope to have dealings with the imperial household. Under Victor, Latin replaced Greek as the official language of the Roman church and Victor himself wrote in Latin.

Raben met with Pope Victor I several times learning about and discussing Christianity. While he felt the idea of helping your fellow man was good, the continually growing rules and rituals as well as trying to force one interpretation over another, was off putting. The faith of Christianity seemed good... the religion however seemed to be bogging that faith down into ritual. While Raben didn’t join the new religion, he was friendly with it.

Thanks to Raben’s planning Mazbar was nearly self sufficient. The Corvus Scriptorium was busy and the demand for medical scrolls booming turning a tidy profit. With his connections to the Bishop of Rome Raben offered to have his scribes make copies of the many letters from disciples, apostles, and others making commentaries on Christ’s teachings to explain aspects of the faith that circulated amongst Christians. Naturally he kept copies of each for his growing personal library. However, he was well aware that reading scrolls was difficult and unwieldy and storage was at best awkward. Most merchants used codexes, flat sheets of parchment or paper bound together that could be leafed through much like modern books. The codex came into popular use in the first century CE and would achieve parity with scrolls by 300. Raben’s personal library consisted entirely of codexes.

Realizing the writings regarding Christianity and a few other subjects could be quite controversial, Raben purchased a few more slaves. These he used to dig a level tunnel from the 4th floor of the Scriptorium beneath the basement of the manor home. Digging into the tufo, the soft volcanic rock underlying much of the Tiber River valley around Rome, was not difficult as attested to by the rambling multi-miled catacombs tunnels and tombs under Rome. Everything was carved out to a height of 7 feet. As the 6 feet wide access tunnel was cut into the hillside between the buildings a side room 8 by 10 feet was cut deeper into the hill to be used as a cold cellar. Behind that a deeper room twelve feet by eight feet was dug for use as a wine cellar. A hidden stone door was placed off the center in the back wall. The tunnel continued deep into the hill with shelves cut into the walls of both sides to hold sealed terra cotta boxes containing codexes. The temperature was a near constant 62 degrees and the humidity was above 90 percent.

Raben commissioned a potter to make the thin walled waterproof terra cotta boxes with a resin coating inside and a glaze exterior. The fitted lid would be sealed with beeswax. They were specifically designed to hold codexes. He had two codex copies of each document made, each sealed inside a separate terra cotta boxes and stored in the hidden rear catacomb. The title of the document was written on the exterior of the box.

In the spring of 198 Raben set out with eight slaves, six men and two women, to return to Barmaz. They had twenty pack mules and four donkeys carrying trade goods, tools and supplies for Barmaz and sealed codex laden terra cotta boxes. A special light weight but strong pack was constructed to safely carry and protect the boxed documents. The trip went smoothly. Raben made a brief stop in the provincial capital to ensure his ownership of Barmaz was still properly recorded. Meeting with a lawyer and the priests of the largest temple he set up accounts for Barmaz. By the time they arrived in Barmaz he’d sold off the trade goods as well as the no longer needed mules. The Bricius family was a bit surprised to see Raben.

The dynamics of the family had changed. The great grandmother had died a year before, the forty six year old man was now head of the family. His forty two year old wife, twenty six year old son with his twenty two year old wife, their sons were eight and two, their daughters six and four. The patriarch’s eighteen year old son had joined the Roman army and sixteen year old daughter had married and moved down valley. With the reduced manpower the workload was a bit heavier.

The Bricius family was a bit leery about the arrival of the slaves, afraid they might be evicted. Raben disabused them of that idea and gave a chest of coins to the patriarch. The family could then purchase any food or goods the farm couldn’t produce due to the increased population. Two of the male slaves had hooked up with the two female slaves during the trip so Raben decided they could take vows of marriage. Raben explained the slaves were to assist with the farm when needed but their main function was to work on his hideaway. Naturally they would have to learn how to help on the farm and learn how to live in the alpine environment. Money was provided so that the slaves could travel down valley once a month for a night of pleasure. The Bricius family could join them if they so desired. The slaves were to be allowed to accompany the weekly market trips.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 9: 198-199 CE: Dancing With a Caravan

Behind the main buildings on the middle pastures a finger of the mountain ridge surged skyward. The ridge ended in a cliff running northwest to southeast soaring 150 feet high. There was a rockfall scree 600 feet wide, 65 feet high at the cliff sloping down at a 45° angle. Tents were set up for the slaves and the things Raben had brought. The trees that had grown atop the scree were cut down for logs and lumber. A bridge of sturdy logs with a plank surface was built over the diverted stream Raben and Ulixes had created years before. Starting in the middle of the scree, Raben had them dig out the footprint for a sturdy stone and log building that he named the Elder House. The layout would be half into the scree and half beyond.

When completed the ground floor was 25 feet wide by 40 feet long by 10 feet high built of stone. Two doors 8 feet wide were built in the center of the front and back walls. A 1 foot wide center floor trench 2 feet deep was dug between the doors. Flush with the floor cap stones ½ wide drain slots between each stone were put in place. The floor gently sloped to the center drain. The drain continued underground beyond the building ending in the channelized stream under the bridge. Two stone 3 feet square pillars each 1/3 the distance of the 40 feet length were built to support the 18 inch square main beams across pillars. Smaller squared beam floor joists covered by thick planks completed the 1st floor. The ground floor would consist of 3 equal walled zones. The right side would be a stable, the left side would be temporary storage for the codex boxes. The center would include the stairs to the upper levels and firewood. The next 2½ stories would be made of thick logs built atop the walls of the stone ground floor. The 1st floor would be a common area & kitchen. The 2nd floor was for bedrooms and the attic a barracks type sleeping room. When te building was completed they moved in packing away the tents. Raben explained that he would be sending more boxes for storage as well as funds to keep the farmstead solvent.

At that point the real work began. The entire scree would be removed. Gravel and dirt would be piled in one location, stone suitable for building would be in another spot. The rest would be in a third location. Wooden forms would be used to build the arched tunnels. The completed tunnels would be 8 feet wide with walls 6 feet high with an arch 4 feet high connecting the two side walls. Drains similar to the one in the building were to be installed under the flagstone floors. That work would be done during the winter when exterior work would be too difficult. Once sections of tunnel were completed, newly excavated scree material was backfilled into the spaces.

The plans were quite involved. The only access tunnel was to built from the rear door of the Elder House back to the cliff face. Starting from and parallel to the cliff face three matching tunnels each 500 feet long with eight 10 feet long cross tunnels and a 50 feet long main access tunnel in the middle from the ground floor of the Elder House. The 2nd level had two matching 500 feet long cliff parallel tunnels with five 10 feet long cross tunnels. The 3rd level was 1 matching 500 feet long tunnel. That yielded a total of 3200 feet of interconnected tunnels in 3 levels hidden in the rebuilt scree now 550 feet wide. The scree would be just 1 foot below the top of the rear stone wall of the Elder House. As they built upwards, a ventilation shaft three feet square connecting to all three levels would be built to the surface of the scree. Rock shelves eighteen inches deep would eventually be built along walls of the tunnels to hold the codex bearing boxes. Again that would be work for winter. Trap doors and shafts four feet square were installed to serve as dumbwaiter access to the upper levels in the main front to back access tunnel.

The master plan included waterproofing the three story tunnel complex. Starting at the cliff face six feet above the top of the completed third level and after all non tunnel areas were backfilled to a forty five degree slope, five inches of gravel would be placed on the exposed surface. Flat rocks were then to be laid atop the leveled gravel like slate shingles to direct ground water away to keep it from penetrating further into the scree. Three successive gravel and slate rock levels were to be constructed. The top slate level was also to be covered five inches of gravel creating a triple redundant roof five feet thick. Where the bottom of this underground roof reached the original ground level a French drain had been constructed channeling any water seeping down the slate stones to empty into the central drain in the main access tunnel. Fourteen feet of remaining excavated scree would be placed atop to recreate the original appearance of the scree. Rocks and debris would camouflage the opening of the ventilation shaft where it emerged at the top of the scree. Any remaining scree would be dropped over the cliff between the middle and the lower pastures. Needles from the pine trees and other dead vegetation would be scattered atop the scree and new pine trees planted so that in thirty years all evidence of having trifled with the scree would be hidden.

Confident the well treated slaves were content and they understood his plans it was mid September when Raben set out to return to Rome. The place to hide and preserve knowledge during any possible dark times to come was well underway.

Ulixes and his new family were happy to see Raben return. The in demand healer spent two months adding to his finances and arranging for his by then quite profitable scriptorium to continue to make two sets of duplicate scrolls for his two secret stashes. Arrangements were also made for pack trains to take shipments of two hundred codex filled boxes through the Poeninus Mons (St. Bernard) pass every month from the time the pass opened in the spring until it closed in the fall, the trains would attach themselves to larger commercial trade caravans. Arrangements were also made with local estates to breed mules for the pack trains.

Although anxious, Raben set out to sail to Corinth in Greece. Corinth was the capital of the Roman Provence of Achaea. Having little experience with sailing and seas in general, the experience was exciting and a bit terrifying. His first experience would be short. Unless the need was urgent sailing the open seas in the Mediterranean was limited to the months of May through October. Winter was the time of storms and the weeks leading to and from that was usually cloudy. Since accurate open sea navigation was dependent upon the sun and stars, open sea sailing during that period was curtailed. Some sailing was done but the sailors always did their best to stay within sight of land. Since it was December when Raben set out, he traveled overland from Rome southeast to the port city of Brindisi on the heel of Italy. The longest open sea stretch was crossing the Adriatic Sea, about forty five miles at that point. The best speed merchant vessels made in favorable conditions was six knots an hour or about seven mph. The sailing distance to Corinth was about three hundred sixty five miles. Best time possible was fifty three hours, average time was four and a half days.

Traveling by ship was anything but luxury. There were on passenger vessels. Vessels were first and foremost cargo ships who only incidentally carried passengers and provided no food nor services. With few exceptions there were no cabins. Deck passage was usually the only available choice This meant passengers stood, sat, and slept on the open deck. If they wanted shelter they had to bring their own small tents that needed to be taken down and set up each day. The traveler also had to supply their own food and drink. This meant taking enough food for the voyage, which could vary greatly depending upon the winds and weather. This meant that to be safe seven days worth of supplies was required.

Needless to say Raben was quite laden with supplies when he stepped aboard. He’d had a dock laborer assist him in carrying everything aboard. He’d packaged the texts he wanted in a crate. The writings were stacked and bundled together, wrapped in waterproofed skins which were tied closed, then sealed with wax. That was then placed inside the wooden crate. The crate shipped as cargo in the same vessel he rode.

Fortunately Raben did not get seasick unlike some of his fellow travelers. Delving into his healer kit he concocted and sold brews to soothe the ill guaranteeing success or refunding the fee. The crew kept an eye on the busy youth as he tended the ill. The sailing master was impressed with the Raben’s entrepreneurial skills and the effectiveness of his concoctions. While Raben retained ownership he sold the right to utilize the herbal formula to the sailing master so he could duplicate it for his passengers.

Most passengers found sailing to be unending boredom with nothing to do but to stroll about the crowded upper deck and look at the sea or coast if it was within sight. After becoming friendly with the ship’s master, Raben spent his time learning all he could of sea lore. The master was impressed because the inquisitive youth picked up on things quickly often making intuitive intellectual leaps. By trips end Raben had learned the basics of navigating by the sun and stars. He also learned how to handle the sails and steering oars. With Raben’s never ending quest for knowledge the six day voyage went quickly for the entire crew.

Bidding farewell to his new friends Raben disembarked in Corinth. The harbor was busy and the city bustling. Raben found an inn and had his crate sent there. The next two weeks were spent exploring the city and, as a prominent Roman physician, meeting prominent citizens. The effervescent perpetual youth turned a profit selling his services. Using names he’d received from the Christians in Rome along with a letter of introduction, Raben met with the Corinthian churches and leadership sharing communications. He delivered letters the Roman Christians sent to their Corinthian compatriots. They were quite intrigued by Corvus Scriptorium in Rome promising to forward any new letters and documents they found or received to his copying enterprise.

Hiring a wagon and driver, Raben set out on the overland route to Athens. After crossing the six mile wide Corinthian Isthmus they continued another twelve miles along the Magara Gulf on the first day stopping overnight in the small town of Kineta. The second day they traveled twenty miles traveling past the island of Salamina then moving around the gulf of Elefsina stopping overnight in the town of Elefsina. It was mid afternoon on the third day when they reached Athens. Briefly he stayed at an inn before renting a small home at the base of the Hill of the Nymphs, 1600 feet northwest of the Acropolis in January 199.

Two women and a man were hired to staff the modest home on a tree covered lot. A few days were then spent seeing the sights before he sought out fellow physicians.

Raben was surprised to learn his reputation as a first class physician was known. In turn his apparent youth surprised those he met. It didn’t take long until he was invited to consult on difficult cases. Discussions abounded as ideas were exchanged and debated. Most of what Raben advocated fit in with current medical ideas although a few ideas seemed far fetched. However, Raben’s success in treating difficult conditions was admired. They most admired his lack of bragging. Anything he said he was prepared to back up. If a condition stumped him, he readily admitted it rather than attempt treatments that might adversely effect the patient. However, if he had an idea that a certain treatment might work, he voiced his opinion but let others decide if they wanted to pursue his oft unusual or unorthodox suggestions. By the end of his first month in Athens he had a steady income and was always in demand for consultations.

Much to his surprise he found the attitude of the medical professionals in Athens, while steeped in prideful history, was more open to Raben’s medical knowledge that their compatriots in Rome. Unfortunately, despite proving his practices were effective, they didn’t quite fit in with current medical theory. Greek medical knowledge had grown far from the primitive ‘punishments’ and ‘gifts’ from the gods, to believe health was affected by the ‘humors’, gender, geographic location, social class, diet, trauma, beliefs and mind set. Centuries of real life experience in their literate society allowed theories to form and be tested against symptoms and results.

Humorism was the culmination of medical theory. The theory declared the human body is filled with four basic substances, called humors, which are in balance when a person is healthy. Diseases and disabilities resulted from an excess or deficit of one of the humors. Disease resulted from the corruption of the humors. These deficits were thought to be caused by vapors inhaled or absorbed by the body The four humors were blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm. It was also theorized that gender played a role in medicine because some diseases and treatments were different for women than for men. Moreover, geographic location and social class affected the living conditions of the people and might subject them to different environmental issues such as mosquitoes, rats, and availability of clean drinking water. Diet was thought to be an issue as well and might be affected by a lack of access to adequate nourishment. Trauma, such as that suffered by gladiators, from dog bites or other injuries, played a role in theories relating to understanding anatomy and infections. Additionally, there was significant focus on the beliefs and mind set of the patient in the diagnosis and treatment theories. It was recognized that the mind played a role in healing, or that in some cases it might also be the sole basis for an illness. From Hippocrates (460-370 BCE) onward, the humoral theory was adopted by Greek, Roman and Islamic physicians to become the most commonly held view of the human body among European physicians until the advent of modern medical research in the nineteenth century.

While the Greek physicians accepted Raben’s healing capabilities, by and large they did not adopt his practices. The long ‘civilized’ Greeks were fascinated by the obvious medical skills and knowledge of the youthful erudite Romanized German ‘Barbarian’ physician but their sense of superiority prevented them from ‘lowering’ themselves to accept what he had to offer.

Frustrated by the polite tolerance of the Greeks, Raben made arrangements with a prominent Athenian Scriptorium to have copies of Greek medical scrolls sent to his Corvus Scriptorium in Rome while he sent Roman scrolls to them. The Christian community was small but eagerly exchanged letters and documents.

In mid-July Raben arranged passage to travel with a wagon caravan heading overland to Egypt. In exchange for their protection he’d serve as healer for the crew. The expedition was to travel around the Aegean Sea to the city of Augusta Antonina. The city was in the process of being rebuilt by Emperor Severus, having razed the city of Byzantium to the ground in 196 AD for supporting a rival contender during the civil war. The new city was named in honor of his son Antoninus, the later Emperor Caracalla. The name was quickly forgotten and abandoned as the city reverted to Byzantium after the assassination of Caracalla. There they crossed the Bosporus Strait leaving Europe and entering Asia. They would travel 1500 miles overland across Asia Minor, through the Roman Provinces of Bithynia, Galacia, Cilicia, Syria and Judea into Egypt to Alexandrea. The seventy five day trip would be exhausting but very enlightening.

Before setting out, Raben packed up all his scrolls and codexes shipping them to Ulixes in Rome. A letter explaining his intention to travel overland to Alexandria accompanied the manuscripts.

Upset by the dismissive way the Greeks treated him, Raben decided to make the trip as his alter ego Fiach. As his male self he’d made the travel arrangements for his young ‘wife’ who, he assured the caravan master, was a skilled healer in her own right and quite capable of taking care of herself. The arrangements included providing access to feed, fodder and stabling for the two sturdy horses Raben bought for the arduous trip. Having purchased a small wardrobe of female clothes but wearing the hooded cloak, bracers and gloves, Fiach would alternate riding the two horses with the animal not ridden serving as pack animal. The caravan crew all chuckled to see the bow and quiver attached to the back of the diminutive girl’s saddle.

For the first five days the teamsters tested and teased the young woman. Most of them had difficulty believing the girl was the eighteen as she claimed, she looked about twelve or thirteen. Still, they were in a Roman cosmopolitan area and had to abide by Roman laws. The rough men were impressed with her horsemanship and stamina but kept her at a distance. None wanted to be tempted to violate a married woman. The way they treated her was not unexpected. For her part, she told everyone to call her Fiach. Most nights the caravan stayed at a caravansary. The sixth night they were at the city of Claudiopolis {present day Bolu, GM 40.731684, 31.619659}.

At every stop she’d faced the same reception. Being the only female she found herself the target of rude and lewd comments and plenty of unwanted invitations, all of which she ignored. As was her custom, after eating, Fiach returned to the stable to check on her horses. Twilight was darkening into night as she emerged from the stable heading back to the inn. A group of shady looking local men had followed and waylaid her. Seeing six men suspiciously standing in the courtyard, all of whom were staring at her while smiling lasciviously, she knew there would be trouble. Even before she fully stepped from the stable she had a knife in each hand hidden inside her sleeves.

As the men closed in Fiach smirked. “Gee, I wonder what your intentions are? Well, if you value your lives you’ll back off. I promise you won’t like dancing with me.”

The men were clearly surprised she fluently spoke their local language but laughed at her blunt threat. “There are six of us. You’ll soon be dancing with us, alright... on your back!” With that they rushed her.

Her blades flashed as she stepped forward to meet their assault. Her charge caught them by surprise as blood sprayed from the nearest two as she sliced their carotid arteries as she pirouetted between them. Both stumbled to their knees clutching their throats as their lives gurgled away. Without pausing she slammed a knife upward under the ribs of a third attacker piercing his heart. As he dropped to his knees the first two toppled forward dead. Upon seeing the unexpected carnage the other attackers paused in shock.

“I thought you wanted to dance,” Fiach taunted with a predatory smile. “Obviously your friends WERE extremely poor dancers. If you’re afraid to dance with me you must not be very manly. Pfft! Run along little boys!” She accented her dismissal with a disdainful flick of her wrist.

Their apprehension quickly turned to anger as she so flippantly called their manhood in question. With shouts of fury they rushed her. Two quickly staggered and collapsed as the knives Fiach simultaneously threw buried to the hilt in their throats. She sidestepped the third man grabbing his wrist as she did so. With a deft twist she dropped to the ground throwing him over her prone body to land face first on the ground. His breaking neck made a sickening crunch as she rolled to her feet. The two men with knives buried in their throats collapsed to their knees before keeling over.

Looking up she saw fifteen stunned men, half from her caravan including the leader, standing outside the entrance to the inn looking at her with their mouth’s agape. With a coquettish smile she spoke. “Would anyone else like to dance? These six macho attackers were extremely poor dancers... they didn’t even last a full minute. Is no one interested in dancing with me?” As she spoke she calmly retrieved the knives she’d thrown from the throats of the men who caught her deadly pitches, almost innocently wiping the blades clean on their clothing. “You disappoint me. I really like dancing but it’s so hard to find anyone who can dance with me! Oh well, I guess I’ll go inside for a goblet of wine. Just send the town watch inside when they get here.” With that she smiled as she walked through the intimidated men who parted like the sea Moses parted.

Night had fallen by the time the captain of the city guard and several of his men arrived at the inn. While fatal fights were not uncommon, especially at the inns catering to caravans, having six killed in one brawl was unusual. After checking the dead the captain recognized them as local thugs. What’s more it looked like they had tangled with experienced fighters. That none of the dead men’s opponents had died only made their deadly skills even more evident. The thugs were not stupid, normally they avoided tangling with skilled outsiders. After interviewing the first witness he thought the man must have had too much to drink. By the third witness he was growing angry assuming he was being pranked. He knew there was simply no way one woman could have taken out the six hoodlums. Not that he regretted their death... if anything the streets of the city would be a bit more settled without them. After hearing virtually the same unbelievable story from all the witnesses he began to doubt his initial conclusion that one woman, unassisted, would be unable to take out the six.

The captain, with two men, entered the inn looking for an intimidating Amazon. The normal raucous conversation was quite muted. Other than the staff there was only one woman, a girl really, in the crowded room. Strangely, there was an obvious space around the cloak clad young lady seated by herself at a corner table with her back to the wall. Needless to say they were shocked when they were directed to the young diminutive girl.

Fiach watched the three men enter, deducing from their uniforms they were the city guard as they looked around the crowded room. Upon seeing their clearly surprised faces as they realized she had to be the female they were seeking she barely suppressed a grin. Instead she intently gazed at them almost challenging them.

“I assume you’re the one who killed the men outside?” The captain asked as, flanked by his guards, he stood before her table doing his best, and failing, to intimidate her.

“They wanted to rape me,” Fiach replied with a deadly smile. “I told them to walk away but they didn’t listen. They charged, I took them out.”

“Do you really expect me to believe a little thing like you would be able to take out six thugs?” The captain growled clearly angered by the small girl’s surly attitude. “Who are you covering for?”

The room had fallen silent and all eyes were upon the confrontation.

“You really need to reign in your contempt,” Fiach calmly replied. “Sometimes what seems improbable is possible.” Before the men could react the chair she’d been seated upon flew backwards as Fiach leapt upon the table. Simultaneously knives flashed from each sleeve of the cloak as they thrust firmly into the guard’s belts. The captain reached for his sword only to freeze as his head was wrapped into a one armed headlock as another knife appeared pressed against his throat. “I guess it’s lucky for each of you I kept the knives sheathed.” Fiach slowly moved the knife from the captain’s throat letting him and everyone else see it was sheathed. “I apologize for my actions just now however I figured it was easier to prove what I’m capable of doing rather than try to explain it to you.”

Time on My Hands
Chapter 10: 199-200 CE: The Trip to Alexandria

With that Fiach reached over to pull her knives from the belts of the shocked guards. Once more she showed the knives were sheathed. “I can be quite deadly. However, like my husband Raben I’m a healer. I don’t like killing but some people can’t be talked out of being stupid.”

With that she did a back flip off the table kicking the leg of the tipped chair spinning it into the air, catching it, putting it upright before the table and sitting down... all in one fluid motion. The guards were clearly unnerved, stepping back from the little wildcat. The captain shivered knowing he and his men could have been easily killed by Fiach. The fantastical story the witnesses had told of the deadly whirlwind that engulfed the six much larger thugs was suddenly believable.

“While your method of explanation is unorthodox it is certainly effective,” the captain managed to reply as he recovered his composure and tried to save face. “It would be greatly appreciated if you left the city tomorrow.”

“I’ll be leaving with the caravan I arrived with in the morning,” Fiach assured the captain as she once more stood. “Now, if there’s nothing else, I’m going to turn in for the night.”

“I have no more questions,” the captain nodded before turning to leave.

Fiach made her way to the room she had for the night. The silence in the room lasted until she left, then exploded as they rehashed what had occurred.

In the morning Fiach was with the caravan as it left the city. Word had spread of the tiny mysterious woman who had killed the six thugs and humbled the oft arrogant captain of the guard. Everyone had learned of the girl’s well hidden deadly side. Many locals had gathered hoping to catch sight of the deadly she-cat. Most had great difficulty believing the small girl on horseback could have done what was claimed.

The men of the caravan who had been testing and teasing her were silent. No one wanted to rile the diminutive lass. While the bow that hung from the back of her saddle had been a joke they now wondered just how skilled she was with the bow.

Other than treating any injuries or illness, Fiach had little interaction with the rest of her traveling companions. They treated her politely but were too intimidated to get any closer. This situation suited the faux girl as she was able to observe and document her environs. At each overnight stop she sought out a local healer to exchange information. Unfortunately she was usually blown off. Still she did pick up some local herb lore, even managing to get seeds of plants that might be medicinally useful.

Traveling through the steep mountains of the interior regions of Anatolia heading for Ankara, outside of being more arid, was not much different from traveling through the Alps around Barmaz. The sinuous roads and pathways wound through the valleys of the mountains. Small villages were abundant on the larger plateaus and in the broader flat portions of some valleys. Farming and herding were the main occupation of the natives. The further away from the area’s cities, the more lawless the areas became. The Pax Romana kept any open rebellion in check but the rough mountainous terrain aided small bands of bandits, many of whom were also farmers supplementing their meager income. This was especially true in the boundary areas of the provinces. The forces of one region did not want to interfere with the authorities of an adjoining area. The bandits wisely limited their attacks so as not to draw in troops making sure to leave no survivors to report to the authorities. It was not unusual for entire caravans to completely disappear.

It was about late afternoon, nineteen miles from their start that morning and five miles from their evening stop. Everyone was tired and bored by the monotony of the trail. About a mile past the side road to Dereneci, a tiny village on a small plateau above the caravan road, the valley made an open ’u’ curve {GM 40.593070, 32.555815}. The steep northern flank on the outside of the curve soared 800 feet above the valley floor. The slope and sparse vegetation made it virtually impassable except by foot and then only if unencumbered. The south flank, the inside of the curve, was only 130 feet high at half the slope leading to a small tree covered plateau before climbing 1000 feet higher. The trees served as a perfect hiding place for bandits.

The bandits waited until the small caravan was in the belly of the ‘U’ before they struck. The sun was shining into the eyes of caravan further shielding the bandits. Arrows flew from the tree line on the southern slope striking at the unprepared armed guards riding at the front and rear of the fifteen wagon column. Of the three guards at the back of the column, one was struck down, another had his horse dropped, the third turned and fled gallopping back the way they had come. The guards in the front fared worse. The three horses were hit and two of the men were struck down. The horse of the third man dropped pinning him beneath it. The horse of one of the fallen men was also killed while the wounded third riderless horse bolted. A second fight of arrows swept in aimed at the first and last wagon striking with deadly accuracy killing the teamsters and injuring the oxen. The oxen bellowed in pain and rage. The front team was prevented from proceeding forward by the fallen horses while the way forward for the rear wagon was blocked by the wagons in front of it. The wounded near crazed oxen of the rear wagon tried to turn around in the narrow road only succeeding to flip the wagon on it’s side.

The remaining wagons were trapped. The teamsters leapt from their seats taking cover behind their wagons as chaos reigned. The caravan master attempted to rally his men ordering them to retrieve their weapons and await the inevitable assault. Fiach tucked her horses behind a wagon and slipped from her steed grabbing her bow and quiver. Then their already precarious position grew worse. Hidden behind rocks and bushes on the northern slope several bandit archers fired into the organizing teamsters. Only one dropped but it was enough to send the rest to ground.

Fiach quickly strung her bow then took aim at the archers on the north slope. As they rose to shoot they were greeted by an arrow. She took out two bandits before those remaining realized they were being targeted. Unaccustomed to finding accurate resistance they turned their aim to her. Fiach deftly jumped aside as their arrows swept past her as with deadly accuracy she took out another archer. When the remaining two rose to fire, she calmly dropped another. The last bandit panicked and tried to flee only to drop as an arrow feathered his back.

Confident the members of the caravan were pinned down by their archers on the north slope the bandits on the south slope charged. Much to their surprise a small figure climbed atop one of the wagons and began firing arrows. The mysterious archer was firing an arrow every twenty seconds. The caravan master took advantage of the distraction to rally his crew who scrambled to pull out little used old swords and axes. The charging bandits paid the archer little heed since they saw no one fall. Knowing that would be their reaction, with deadly accuracy Fiach calmly picked off those at the rear of the charge so those at the front were clueless.

By the time the bandits reached the wagons their numbers had been reduced by nine. They were surprised to be greeted by the then armed crew hiding behind the wagons. To reach the caravan crew the bandits were funneled into the narrow space between wagons and still hitched oxen forcing them into single file. The angered teamsters made quick work of those few who tried to force their way through the narrow gap.

Fiach saw the bandits regroup and mass at three wagons up the line to force passage. After loosing her last three arrows dropping more bandits with each, she let out an undulating war cry that echoed off the sides of the canyon as she dropped her bow and quiver and charged forward. The oxen were not happy when their backs were used as stepping stones. Startled by the savage high pitched war cry everyone paused to look up at the source to see a girl literally dance across the wagons and oxen. When she reached the wagon where the bandits had rallied Fiach leapt into their midst. The steel of her knives flashed as she flew through the air. Two were going down with their throats cut before she even impacted the group. Her speed and momentum took down three bandits, none of whom realized they’d been fatally stabbed until they felt their lives ebbing. Like a wildcat she leapt to her feet lashing out at the confused bandits as she gamboled amongst them cutting a deadly path through them with ease. Needless to say she broke up their planned assault as she continued to wreak havoc in their midst.

When the bandit leader fell those who remained broke and fled. With calm deliberation Fiach pulled out her sling and began dropping the fleeing bandits. None escaped.

Following the orders of the caravan master, the teamsters joined Fiach on the southern side of the wagons. Several were dispatched to check the fallen bandits. Seven bandits were captured, all had been knocked out, disabled by the sling stones. They rounded up four others who had been wounded with arrows. None of those she engaged in hand to hand combat survived.

The caravan had consisted of fifteen teamsters, six mounted guards, the caravan master and Fiach. Of the six guards only one survived unscathed. Three of the guards were killed, one had his leg broken by his falling horse, one fled at the start of the attack never to be seen. Of the teamsters, four were killed and three wounded leaving eight unharmed. Of the twenty three who entered the valley, only eleven remained unharmed. Of the thirty oxen five were killed or put down and three were wounded. Of the nine horses, four were killed and two missing, one of whom was wounded.

The bandits fared far worse. Eleven were wounded and captured while thirty four had been killed... all but six by Fiach. The teamsters as well as the surviving bandits were literally in awe of her. She was covered nearly from head to toe by the blood of those she’d slain. While she had several nasty cuts and bruises, she simply ignored them knowing they’d quickly heal.

“We can go no further today,” Fiach stated the obvious as she looked at the caravan master. “Make camp and boil a lot of water so I can begin treating our injured and wounded. Butcher one of the dead oxen for fresh meat. I suggest you send the remaining guard and three teamsters up the hill to check out the bandit camp. We may find some supplies and, if they left no guard, their horses.”

Not even the caravan master questioned Fiach’s orders. The caravan master issued the orders as Fiach had the wounded gathered. The oxen were unhitched and tethered with the wounded animals segregated. The crew watched in amazement as the demon warrior so efficiently tended to the injured. The arrows were removed, the broken leg set and splinted. Then she tended to the injured oxen with just as much care. Night had fallen as she turned to minister to the wounded bandits.

The teamsters had unloaded the tipped wagon, righted it, then reloaded it. The oxen and horses injured too severely to move on their own were slaughtered and the meat loaded on the wagons. Those sent out found the bandit camp and returned with forty five horses that had been picketed. The horses would be hitched to the wagons that had lost oxen. Several teamsters complained when she treated and fed the bandits saying they’d just be hung by the authorities.

“They are still human,” Fiach responded. “They should be treated decently.”

No one argued. Fiach then began gathering up spent and unused arrows to replenish her quiver.

In the morning they loaded the dead bandits on top of the wagons or draped across horses. The wounded bandits were tied up and tied to the horses. The horses were then tethered in a line behind the wounded but mobile oxen. Fiach, mounted on her horse, followed the bandits with her bow ready across the front of her saddle. The horses pulling the wagons were not accustomed to such work. The caravan master, the guard and the eight remaining teamsters drove wagons. The five uncrewed wagons were pulled by press ganged horses. Those horses were firmly tethered to the rear of the crewed wagon in front of them. The wounded caravan members rode beside a teamster.

It was mid morning by the time the wagons were ready to roll. They made their way slowly down the valley, moving at one third their normal pace. It was mid afternoon by the time they reached the next village, Yanik, which had been their previous day’s destination.

The people of the village were upset when they saw the bandit dead and prisoners. They were all locals or known to the villagers. The tension was quite palpable.

“You recognize these bandits,” Fiach declared. “They attacked us yesterday thinking this was just an ordinary caravan. They didn’t count on me. Of the thirty four killed I personally killed twenty eight. I also wounded all eleven prisoners. Once we get to Ankara I’m sure the governor will want to talk to you as well as hang our prisoners.”

The villagers were grumbling as they tried to decide if they should attempt to free the prisoners and wipe out the caravan.

“If you’re stupid enough to try to overpower me, the prisoners know how deadly I am,” Fiach continued. “While I don’t like killing, I am quite efficient. In my homeland I’m known as the Demon Slayer. By trade I’m a healer. I’ve treated the wounded, including the animals. The caravan master knows he and his men and the caravan are still alive because of me so he’ll agree to whatever I say. Now, I’m prepared to make a deal.”

“What deal,” an older man brusquely asked.

“We lost five oxen and four horses,” Fiach began. “We butchered them and will give you most of the meat. We will keep the horses we captured as payment for our dead. We will release the dead bandits so you can bury them. We lost five oxen... you will give us five oxen or the coin to replace them. For each ox replaced or paid for, we will release two of the captured bandits. You will also supply five wagon drivers to get us to Ankara where we can hire replacements. In exchange we will not report the bandit attack.”

Suddenly Fiach produced her sling and launched a stone at the roof of a building behind her. A man was standing on the roof holding a bow with a noched arrow pointed at Fiach’s back. The stone struck his head with a sickening THUNK. The bow and arrow dropped from his lifeless hands as he pitched forward to hit the ground with a solid SPLAT.

Fiach sighed loudly then searched the startled eyes of the villagers. “Now you have another to bury. Does anyone else want to test me?”

“The terms I’ve offered are quite generous,” Fiach continued. “Also know that I’m just as ready to kill everyone in this god forsaken village and take everything you have while your bodies rot. The choice is yours. We’ll spend the night here. By dawn have the five oxen or the equivalent coin and five drivers or I’ll begin killing everyone.” Then she turned to the caravan crew. “Dump the dead and the excess meat. We’ll camp by the well.” Then once more she spoke to the villagers. “Bring feed and fodder for the horses and oxen. If you do so we’ll let a family member talk to the prisoners. We’ll let women and children draw from the well.”

With that she rode around the caravan meeting the eye of every villager. The children were clearly terrified, the women were worried, the men intimidated. The teamsters handed the dead down from the wagons to the villagers, then did the same with the excess meat. The wailing of the families of the dead echoed across the village.

The fifteen wagons were drawn into a circle around the well. The oxen and horses were tethered inside. Slowly people brought fodder and feed. Others came to draw water from the well. A few came to speak to the prisoners. All looked at the diminutive girl not believing she was so deadly.

While the crew of the caravan stayed within the wagons. Fiach wandered about the town. Everyone avoided her. As night fell she returned to the wagons.

As dawn chased away the night a delegation of villagers approached the wagons. They had three oxen. Fiach and the caravan master greeted them.

“We don’t have any more oxen,” the village elder explained clearly upset at giving up the three presented. “We only have enough coin to pay for one ox.”

“You may pick eight of the prisoners to be released,” Fiach explained as the wagon master accepted the payment. “The other three will be sold as slaves when we reach Ankara. Bring the prisoners forward.”

When the prisoners were lined up Fiach spoke. “The villagers are only able to ransom eight of you. The remaining three will be sold as slaves in Ankara. The villagers will select which of you to free.” Then she turned to the villagers. “Make you choices.”

Several women stepped forward to select their sons or husbands. Each was released from their chains and allowed to leave. Finally the three destined for slavery stood shackled.

“If anyone wants to bid these three farewell, do so now,” Fiach declared.

No one stepped forward.

“Very well,” Fiach spoke to the sullen villagers. Then she looked to the wagon master. “Prepare to break camp. The prisoners will ride on horses at the rear of the column with me.” Then she again turned to the villagers. “This has been a harsh lesson for you. You’ve lost thirty eight men to death or slavery. You’ve lost three oxen and forty five horses. You purchased the lives of eight but doing so has drained what few resources you have. The reality is you have gotten off lightly. If we had taken the prisoners to Ankara and reported the attack, they would all hang and the governor would have sent troops to occupy your town. Think about how much worse this could have been.” With that she turned and headed back to the assembling wagons.

An hour later the caravan with five reluctant teamsters headed out of the town. Fiach, like the rest of the caravan crew, kept careful watch on the surrounding mountains to make sure their would be no more sneak attacks.

The pace of the caravan was slightly reduced. Fortunately the villagers were wise enough to not attempt an ambush. The wounded grew stronger with each day. The wounded teamsters paired up on wagons, switching driving as needed to keep from over extending themselves. By the time they reached Ankara it was clear Fiach and the caravan would part company. They were simply too spooked by her efficiency as both a healer and a killer. When she claimed the three wounded bandit prisoners as her slaves and thirty three of the captured bandit horses as hers no one argued, especially when she supplied the coins to replace the last ox and seven captured horses for the caravan to replace those they had lost. The remaining five horses were giving to the reluctant teamsters to ride back to their village. The caravan master hired replacement teamsters, guards and oxen and after a stay of one day continued his expedition.

Once separated from the caravan, Fiach looked at the three ex bandits. “I have a choice to make. Should I sell you on the slave market or keep you? I have no doubt your lives will be difficult and short if I sell you. Between the two farms I own back in Rome I already own twenty slaves. I treat them well, they are well fed, clothed, and housed. I let them marry and their children are born free. I’ve promised to look after them in their old age. I’ll do the same for you but you’ll have to follow my orders. You can rest assured I will work you hard but will not abuse you. If you’re willing to swear before your god to obey me, I’ll keep you. If you will not swear... or if I feel you are lying, you’ll go on the auction block. Make your choice now.”

All three dropped to their knees and pledged themselves to Fiach.

Fiach kept the best six horses and sold the rest as well as their tack and harness. Then she bought supplies and packs for three horses. Two days after the caravan left Ankara, Fiach and her three slaves mounted their horses with each guiding a pack horse to set out continuing her journey to Alexandria. The slaves were pleased that she armed them but they realized she could easily kill them if they rebelled.

Caravans with wagons and carts traveled about twenty five miles a day. Travel on horseback could average thirty five miles a day. The fourth day out of Ankara Fiach and her slaves caught up to the caravan. The greetings were stiff but cordial.

The next day Fiach set out before the caravan, never to meet again. As they approached the Mediterranean they passed through the city of Tarsus, the hometown of the Apostle Paul. Each large city she’d passed through had a minority population of Jews and Christians. While the Jews were open about their faith the Christians seemed to be reclusive. Still, she spent an extra day to seek them out, buying copies of their religious texts, letters and treatises. She also made arrangements with many to exchange future writings with those in Alexandria and Rome.

After emerging from Anatolia her route took her around the eastern most tip of the Mediterranean. They passed through the mountains crossing into Syria pausing in the city of Aleppo. Again she met with local Christians exchanging texts. From there she moved south to Damascus to again meet local Christians. By then the three slaves had healed their wounds and were pleasantly surprised they were treated well eating the same food and sleeping in the same inns as their mistress.

As Fiach traveled south she paused by the Sea of Galilee to watch the boats cast their nets to catch fish. She could almost picture Jesus calling Peter to be his disciple. From there she traveled to Nazareth visiting the town where Jesus grew into adulthood. From there she traveled east to Beit She'arim to meet Rabbi Judah HaNasi known as Judah the Prince where he also established a seat of learning. Judah spoke Greek enabling him to become the Jews' intermediary with the Romans being greatly revered in Rome and had a close friendship with Caracalla who would consult Judah on various worldly and spiritual matters. He favored Greek as the language of the country over Jewish Palestinian Aramaic. In his house only Hebrew was spoken. He was the leading expert on what the Christians called the old testament.

For centuries, the Torah appeared only as a written text transmitted in parallel with the oral tradition. After the end of the Second Temple period following the destruction of the Second Temple in 70 the earthly physical home of God was destroyed. Fearing that the oral traditions might be forgotten, Judah undertook the mission of consolidating the various oral traditions and opinions into one body of law which became known as the Mishnah completing a project which had been mostly clarified and organized by his father and Nathan the Babylonian.

The reason Fiach was interested in him was he was an expert on Hekhalot literature she had read in the Corvus Scriptorium. They are accounts of mystical ascents into heaven, divine visions, and the summoning and control of angels, usually for the purpose of gaining insight into Torah based upon the biblical accounts of the Chariot vision of Ezekiel and the Temple vision of Isaiah. The idea of making a journey to the heavenly hekhal {Temple} was a kind of spiritualization of the pilgrimages to the now destroyed earthly hekhal. It is a form of Jewish mysticism that teaches both of the possibility of making a sublime journey to God and of the ability of man to draw down divine powers to earth.

Although initially reluctant to discuss spiritual issues with a young woman, Fiach convinced Judah’s subordinates she was a worthy scholar, especially when she proved she could speak and write Hebrew. After speaking about the Corvus Scriptorium and how they could copy and spread current Jewish writings like the Mishnah to the jews of the Diaspora she addressed her main reason for talking to him.

After briefly explaining the Celtic/Germanic gods she explained her Curse going as far as cutting her hand to allow him to watch her heal. Then she explained the Curse originated when the soldier stabbed Jesus with the spear.

“That is unsettling,” Judah sighed. “I will admit Jesus was a great teacher and a healer. But being equal with YHWH as the Christians write, his being the Christ, that is simply too much to accept.”

“I have difficulty with that too,” Fiach agreed. “However it gets even more bizarre.” With that she explained her encounter with the Celtic god Ianuaria, the healer after getting the Curse. “In manuscripts of the Mishnah I read according to Jewish tradition, Raphael is identified as one of the three angels that appeared to Abraham in the oak grove of Mamre. Michael, as the greatest, walked in the middle, with Gabriel to his right and Raphael to his left. All three angels were commanded to carry out a specific mission. Raphael's mission was to heal Abraham and save Lot. Does that not make him the angel who heals?”

“Indeed it does,” Judah nodded.

Fiach nodded. “So is it possible the god of healing I know as Ianuaria is really an aspect of the angel Raphael? Appearing in that form because my people had no knowledge of YHWH?”

That required a great deal of deep thought and discussion. Judah could not give a definitive answer, neither yes nor no. However, based on his vast knowledge of Hebrew Theology, he did say it was a possibility. He agreed to give the issue more thought and would communicate with Fiach or her husband Raben.

From there Fiach stopped in the ancient city of Megiddo. The town was on a small hill that overlooked the main route through the mountains of the Carmel Ridge as it opened into the fertile Jezreel Valley. First inhabited about 7000 BCE, the site has been a major crossroad between Egypt and Mesopotamia. There were numerous battles fought there, two significant ones were in the 15th century BCE fought between the armies of the Egyptian pharaoh Thutmose III and a large Canaanite coalition led by the rulers of Megiddo and Kadesh. The other was in 609 BCE fought between Egyptian pharaoh Necho II and the Kingdom of Judah, in which King Josiah fell. Christians believed it would be the site of the final battle between Jesus Christ and Satan, as outlined in the Book of Revelation, the Battle of Armageddon. Fiach understood the location was vital and pivotal in history.

From there she continued south to Aelia Capitolina. It was a city still in transition. Formerly the city of Jerusalem, the Jewish Second Temple and most of the city had been razed by the victorious Romans when they quelled the First Jewish Rebellion in 70 CE. The Bar Kokhba revolt, the second and last Jewish revolt, had been brutally squashed 135 CE. As punishment, Hadrian exiled most Jews, sold them into slavery, turned Jerusalem it into a Roman pagan city and forbade the Jews from living there. Judea and Samaria were renamed by Hadrian to Syria Palaestina, after the Assyrians and Philistines respectively, both as an insult to the Jews and as a means of erasing the land's Jewish identity and resulting in what became known as the Jewish Diaspora.

From there she moved on to Bethlehem. Since Christianity was in it’s infancy there were no ‘designated’ sites to visit. Often when she asked questions of the locals they knew little of Jesus. Fiach could understand their lack of knowledge. Jesus died somewhere between 30 and 33 CE. The writings that eventually would form the New Testament began appearing about 50 CE, prior to that it was oral tradition. With the two Jewish rebellions and with the heavy Roman hand on their backs, the locals wisely avoided drawing attention to their past.

After leaving Bethlehem they traveled west following the local roads until they reached the city of Ashkelon on the Mediterranean. The Via Maris, one of two main trading routes connecting Egypt to Mesopotamia, followed the Mediterranean Coast. After spending the night in Ashkelon, they headed south on the Via Maris. The trip across the Sinai took seven days. Fortunately the heat of the desert was moderated by the gentle breeze off the sea. They were dusty and weary when they reached the Egyptian city of Tanis in the Nile delta.

It took two days to travel on the roads through fields of canal watered crops until they reached the eastern most channel of the Nile. The mighty river split into seven branches by the time it reached the sea in addition to numerous canals upon entering the flat delta. There were no bridges so at each crossing they had to be ferried across the waterways. It took another four days until they finally reached Alexandria on October 30, 200. With all the stops she made her trip took thirty days longer than expected.

After resting a full day, Fiach rented a small house setting up a household with her three slaves. For the next few days she explored the city. The Mediterranean seaport of Alexandria was founded by Alexander the Great around 330 BCE. Alexander's general took Egypt and made Alexandria his capital in 320 BCE. Formerly a small fishing village on the Nile delta for about 2000 years, Alexandria became the seat of the Ptolemaic rulers of Egypt and developed into a great intellectual and cultural centre, perhaps the greatest city in the ancient world. The massive Pharos lighthouse, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World, was quite impressive.

While the lighthouse was incredible the main for Fiach draw was the legendary Library of Alexandria. While impressive with the world’s largest collection of scrolls, the great Library, while still present, was slowly rebuilding. The Ptolemaic Dynasty built the Library and established Alexandria as the world’s foremost center of learning. In 48 BCE Julius Caesar was pursuing his political rival Pompey. In Egypt, Pompey was murdered. Caesar then executed those who had killed Pompey. One of those was the boy Ptolemaic Pharaoh. This created a civil war between the boy king and his regent sister Cleopatra. Caesar sided with Cleopatra. During the fighting Cleopatra, Caesar and their armies were trapped inside Alexandria. To end the blockade they set fire to the opposing fleet occupying the harbor. To save themselves the sailors sailed the burning fleet to the docks to abandon ship. In turn that set fire to the docks and the part of the city containing the main library. All that survived was a secondary collection in the Temple of Serapeum dedicated to the god Serapis, the protector of Alexandrea. Years later the Ptolemaic Dynasty ended with the death of Cleopatra. Egypt then became a Roman province. With the loss of Ptolemaic/government financial support, attempting to rebuild the surviving collection was limited by the library’s reduced cash flow.

Fiach spent a great deal of time working with the staff and librarians of the Alexandrian Library. They were impressed by her knowledge and the fact her husband had established a thriving scriptorium in Rome. In fact they already had several texts from Corvus Scriptorium. During the ensuing weeks Fiach taught the three slaves to read and write Latin and Greek as well as their native tongue. Then for six months she apprenticed them to the library to learn how to be scribes copying texts.

While working with the library was an avocation, Fiach was still a physician. Her skills and experience as well as her bedside manner quickly created a high demand for her services. The wealthy paid her handsomely with coin. As had become her practice she charged what her clients could afford thus bringing a lot of poor and downtrodden to her door. Most traded food items but a few began bringing her bits of treasure. When questioned they revealed they were plundering graves.

Those poor who showed wit and intelligence she offered jobs in the Alexandrian office of Corvus Scriptorium. These peasants were also taught to read and write Latin, Greek, and their native tongue then set them up with six month apprenticeships with the library.

The library was delighted to assist Fiach in training her people knowing that tomes copied by the Corvus Scriptorium would be of high quality. Part of the staff copied new material while part copied existing texts in the library. The texts copied from the Alexandrian Library had six copies made. The original and one copy went back to the library, one copy went into a Corvus Scriptorium Archive in Alexandria, one was to be sold. The remaining three copies of every manuscript were sent to Corvus Scriptorium in Rome, one for the archive at Mazbar, one for the archive at Barmaz and one to be sold or if the demand was high to be copied there and the copies sold. For new texts, the same procedure was followed with two Copies going to the Alexandrian Library.

Fiach shipped the copied documents to Rome by Sea. However she shipped the three copies on separate vessels including a letter with an inventory of the scrolls and the names of the vessels carrying the documents. This way if a shipment was lost, the contents could be easily replaced.

By September of 201 Fiach had grown wealthy from her medical practice. The Corvus Scriptorium also turned a nice profit. As the number of scribes increased, Fiach realized she needed to find a permanent home for the Corvus Scriptorium. Looking about she realized there was little land available. Alexandria was built on a narrow Isthmus with the Mediterranean on the north and a combination of salt mashes and lakes to the south. The marshes and lakes were fed fresh water via canals from the Nile. Salt water from the sea effected the marches even though the tides only changed sea level by 8 inches but weather related surges could change sea level by 39 inches. Lake Mariout, due south of the main city, was the largest inland body of water. The main canal flowed through the lake to the Sea so the lake was partly fresh water but salt marsh on the periphery.

After consulting with a local engineer Fiach decided to construct a round artificial island 300 feet in diameter she named Zamrab, another variation on Barmaz. Choosing a site that was 2000 feet from both the northern and eastern shores. {GM 41.835841, 12.442964} To construct the island she had piles driven deep into the mud of the shallow lake to form an island. It wasn’t difficult to fill the piling enclosed area with rocks and other solid debris until it was raised 7 feet above the normal surface which would ensure that the Nile, when in flood, would not encroach nor would sea surges. The exterior of the pilings were covered with dumped rocks to help protect the water logged pilings. Building right up to the edge of the pilings she had a sturdy four story mud brick building constructed. Since arid areas like Alexandria, which only received an average of 3/4 inch of rain a year, mud brick was a durable building material. It only required periodic mud plastering on the external walls to replace crumbling and wind erosion. The first floor served as the scriptorium. The second floor was the library. The 3rd and 4th floors were living quarters. It took three months to build the site. A small pier was built for the artificial island with a corresponding pier on the shore.
The island provided security and privacy. Once the Corvus Scriptorium was relocated there in December 201, it prospered since the scribes had few distractions. The many windows allowed the steady breezes easy access to keep the building relatively cool. The normal noise, dirt and disease of city life was kept at bay.

Fiach also cultivated her contacts with those who paid for her medical services with antiquities. By the time the Zamrab was ready for occupation she began making treks down the Nile to see the sites of the ancient Pharaohs. While she didn’t sponsor grave robbing, she did let it be known she’d accept rescued treasures as payment for her medical services. She also bought some outright. The underground antiquities retrieval and resulting antiquities market was already in existence. She simply let it be known she was a buyer who paid a fair price. All antiquities she purchased were packed up and sent to Mazbar in Rome where it was easily sold for several times what she paid. A few finer or interesting pieces were sent to Barmaz.

While on a trip up the Nile to visit the Pyramids an unusual event occurred. As Fiach was clambering the side of the Great Pyramid she paused for a drink. As she did so she saw a puff of smoke or sand in the distance. The people she was with had not seen anything but she scrambled down, mounted the camels they’d been using, and led the people towards the spot she’d seen the puff. As they neared where she thought it had occurred she spread the party out in a line fifty feet apart to look for something that could have created the puff. Quite naturally the natives thought she was crazy but since she was paying them they cooperated.

It took nearly four hours before one man signaled he’d found something. When Fiach arrived they found a hole 3 feet in diameter punched into the flat sand with a scattering of sand spread out 10 feet from the hole. The natives realized maybe she wasn’t crazy. They dug down into the hole and uncovered a shiny burned rock. It weighed about forty pounds. Her companions packed it up and she returned to Zamrab. After checking it out she crated the rock and shipped it to Rome.

As she did in nearly every city she visited, Fiach sought out the local Christian community. Alexandria was one of the most prominent sites for intellectual and theological debate about all aspects of Christianity. The Catechetical School of Alexandria was a school of Christian theologians and priests. The teachers and students of the school were influential in many of the early theological controversies of the Christian church. Along with Antioch it was one of the two major centers of the study of biblical exegesis and theology. Clement of Alexandria was the current head of the school.

Clement was an interesting person who had some beliefs that would later be labeled heretical. A lot of what he had to say struck a chord with Fiach. Yet despite being the head of the school, there were many who decried his stance on several issues. The disagreements only reinforced her concerns about Christianity. For the most part she agreed with the philosophy of love and redemption. What was problematic was Jesus. Was he part of a triune Godhead of Jesus, God the Father and the Holy Spirit? Was Jesus equal with God or was he subordinate? Was he human or divine? The nitpicking and disputes over small details instead of concentrating on salvation alienated the inquisitive Fiach. While unwilling to join the faith she remained Christian friendly.

Alexandria had a large Jewish colony even before the diaspora following the crushing of the second Jewish Revolt. It became a nearby sanctuary for the educated Jews. The schism between Jew and Christian had grown steadily since the beginning of Christianity. In the confines of Alexandria the two sides couldn’t avoid each other causing tensions and oft times violence.

Emperor Severus didn’t order persecution of Jews or Christians but at the same time did nothing to prevent or even discourage persecution. It was totally left in the hands of the local governor. By 202 the governor of Alexandria had enough of the Jewish/Christian bickering. It was expensive using troops to keep the peace. However, since the Jews had a significant presence in the city for nearly 500 years, the onus fell on the Christians. Many speculated if the wealthier Jews paid off the troops to turn a blind eye as the Jews organized mobs to attack the Christians. The troops normally arrived just after a mob overwhelmed a Christian compound, home or business appropriating a great deal of the ‘liberated’ Christian property. Those Christians who could do so gathered their wealth and left the city. The oppression lasted into 203 CE before calm once more reigned.

Fiach did her best to stay out of the repression. That didn’t prevent her from putting her medical skills to heavy use which enabled her to create a large cash reserve for maintaining Zamrab. Several times she was accosted by roving bands of troublemakers as she traveled the streets of Alexandria. Since she was known to many in the city as a skilled and in demand healer, she was able to talk her way out of most confrontations. But there were a few times she had to get physical.

One day she received a summons from the compound of a wealthy Christian family. She arrived to find the gates closed with armed men defending the walls. A crowd was massing preparing to storm the gates. The majority of the attackers were peasants and slaves surrounding a small core of experienced fighters. There were dead and wounded lying in the areas outside the walls, many with arrow wounds. That the attackers were also using bows was evident from the arrows stuck in the walls and gates.

“I am a physician,” she announced to the besiegers. “I was summoned to treat those inside the compound.”

“Leave now or die,” the swaggering leader of the attackers ordered the petite girl.

“I told you I’m a physician.,” Fiach calmly replied. “It is my calling to assist those in need inside and outside that compound. Let me approach the gate and ask for a truce so you can evacuate the dead and wounded. I’ll treat your wounded then do the same inside the compound.”

As she spoke six of the fighters moved positioning themselves behind her while the leader and five others moved to her front as the earth bound fighters moved on the mounted girl. “You should have left, bitch,” the leader sneered as they began closing in from all sides.

‘Very well, fools, you leave me no choice but to defend myself,” Fiach snarled. “Oh, just so you know, in my homeland I’m known as the Demon Killer.” With that she whipped out her sling and began firing stones. She dropped three of the attackers before any could close on her.

The startled attackers hesitated which was all Fiach needed. Stuffing the sling back in it’s pocket she pulled her short sword while spurring the horse. With well aimed swings she dropped three more as she guided the horse between and amongst them while breaking out of their attempted encirclement.

The leader was furious that the upstart woman had taken out half his men. “Everyone, attack her!” He bellowed to the ragtag mass he’d gathered.

The inexperienced masses were already shook up about the losses they’d suffered attacking the compound. They’d been told it would be an easily plucked fruit but that had proved false. Quite a few recognized and knew Fiach and her willingness to treat any who needed medical care. Now the loud mouthed leader wanted them to attack the physician who had offered to treat their wounded.
But he’d already lost half his men to her defensive attacks. If skilled fighters were so easily taken out, what hope did they have? They exchanged nervous looks and hesitated.

“You sorry assed dimwits,” the leader raged. “I’ll see that you’re...”

“The only thing you’ll see is your death,” Fiach said as she slipped from her steed. “Come on, you’re a big man! Let’s go one on one. I’m not afraid. Are You?”

The mob watched with baited breath. The five surviving fighters were spooked by the calm yet deadly girl. It was clear to them she wasn’t intimidated nor scared. By challenging their leader they understood she was not the least bit afraid. Her body language bespoke of deadly experience. Wisely they began stepping back from the looming confrontation. The walls of the besieged compound were filled as the defenders watched.

Fiach let out a loud belly laugh the spoke derisively. “Some brave leader you are! Afraid of a little girl! Go on... run away like the coward you are.”

The furious yet humiliated leader realized all eyes were on him. Even his men backed off leaving him to face the she devil alone. With a snarl he drew his sword and faced off against the smirking girl. “Bitch! After I disarm you I’ll rape you then give you to the mob!”

“The only one who is going to be raped is you,” Fiach smiled evilly as she and the leader circled each other looking for an opening. “I’ll stick your own sword up your ass!”

Those watching gasped at the smiling girl’s insulting words. Even though the man was nearly twice her size, the spunky girl didn’t show a smidgen of fear much less any intimidation. Her words had the desired effect upon the man she correctly assumed was hypersensitive about his masculinity. With a bellow of rage he charged.

Fiach didn’t flinch, neither did her smirk waver. His sword, held in his right hand, was raised high above his head ready to hack down, cleaving the impertinent girl. The instant he began to swing she ducked to his left and twisted around his left side while slashing his left hamstring.

The man yowled in pain and rage as his momentum made him stumble forward a few steps before the savagely wounded leg gave out sending him crashing onto the street. Smiling broadly Fiach pirouetted to stand facing her downed opponent. “Pfft! Is that the best you can do? I shall enjoy letting your sword taste your virgin ass! That is if it IS virgin!”

Those watching were stunned that the small girl had so easily dropped the big man. But it was her unflinching jeering words that made them shiver.

Fiach circled the downed man laughing and taunting him about his critical situation. The man swore and bellowed useless insults. She’d spring inside his reach to jab him before jumping out of the way of his awkward counter attack. All too quickly he was bleeding from dozens of small painful wounds while he had not even nicked her once. It quickly became evident to everyone she was toying with him.

“That’s enough playing around,” Fiach finally announced. With that she dove in nearly severing his right wrist.

The howling man screamed in pain as his nearly lifeless hand lost control of his sword as it dropped out of his non-existent grip. As he tried to twist to pick up the weapon with his other hand Fiach’s sword struck again with precise accuracy fully severing his left wrist. The big man screamed out in pain and rage. The onlookers stepped back as they watched utterly stunned as the small girl easily dismantled the much bigger man.

With a quick slash she hamstrung his left leg. By that time he was begging for mercy.

“How dare you ask for mercy! Did you ever grant mercy to those who begged you for mercy?”

“Damn it, Bitch, just kill me!”

“Not quite yet, asshole. Not quite yet.” With that she jabbed her sword into the man’s biceps hamstringing both arms.

Again the man howled in pain. Now unable to use his arms or legs the big man, who had been a life-long bully, broke down in tears of frustration and rage. Fiach rolled the helpless big man onto his stomach. Using one of her razor sharp knives she shredded his clothes exposing everything below his waist. As she quietly but efficiently worked his sobbing begging became more desperate. Stepping away from him she picked up his sword as his begging became hysterical. Stepping behind him she touched the point of the sword against his puckered anus applying pressure. The pitch of his panicking desperate voice rose as she twisted the point against his sphincter. Everyone waited with baited breath. Even the few who didn’t want to see what she was about to do were unable to look away.
Fiach pulled the sword from the thoroughly defeated and crushed bully, dropping it to the ground by his head. “Your life is in my hands. Do you want to live or die?”

“Wha... what?” the humiliated confused quivering man asked.

“I’m the best physician in Egypt,” Fiach replied. “I can sew your wounds and help you recover. It won’t be easy and it will take months of effort. I know I can heal you. But you’ll have to make a tremendous and often painful effort to recover. If you chose to live but don’t follow my recommendations, you’ll be a cripple. Or you can choose to die. If I don’t treat you, you’ll bleed out. Which do you choose... life or death?”

Those watching were stunned. The small girl had already killed six and mangled the huge bully.

The defeated hopeless man sobbed. “Just finish me off! Even if you successfully treat me I’ll be a cripple. There are too many people that would love to get their revenge against me. End it now!”

“Very well,” Fiach agreed. “I’ll make it quick and as painless as possible. Do you want a moment to pray?”

“Pray... huh... never had a god help me in life, why would one help me in death?”

“I’ll pray that Ianuaria eases your passage to the afterlife,” Fiach replied. With that she slipped a knife into his spinal cord at the base of his skull killing him instantly. His death was so swift his body didn’t even move.

Looking at those on the walls of the compound Fiach spoke. “The fighting is over, open the gates so I can have the wounded brought inside. I’ll treat all the wounded together.”

“Gather the wounded inside the compound so I can treat them,” Fiach ordered the still stunned crowd. “Gather the dead for burial. The rest of you, go home!”

Many quietly left. The dead were stripped of their possessions before being piled up to await wagons. The wounded were gathered and taken inside the compound. Fiach was already treating the injured as more were carried in. Those who stayed marveled at the small healer’s skill and speed as she worked. The city guard finally arrived and began investigating the turmoil. Upon finding out those attacking the compound were led by the now deceased bully they breathed a sigh of relief.

What they had difficulty believing was that big bully had been cut up by the small girl. Yet everyone told the same story. By nightfall the story of Fiach being a formidable fighter and a Demon Killer had spread through the city.

With the turmoil in the city Fiach decided that it would be wise to fortify Zamrab. The windows were altered to create openings too small for a person to pass through. Food was stockpiled as well. While the beefing up didn’t make the place a fortress, it would be enough to hold off attacking mobs. Almost as an afterthought she decided to have Egyptian writings translated into Greek and Latin.

Towards the end of February, 203, Fiach decided to head back to Rome. After locking her small fourth floor apartment she left instructions it was not to be disturbed before she board a ship to make the trip to Rome. While the trip from Rome to Alexandria took a bit less that two weeks, due to the prevailing winds of the Mediterranean, the reverse trip took nearly eight weeks. Of course the trip was done with frequent stops at various ports to replenish food and water. She found it quite unsettling to be out of sight of land but handled the unease. It was the end of April when they arrived in Ostia, she identified herself to the manager of the transport company that normally took all shipments to Mazbar. She rode on the wagon delivering the latest shipment of scrolls and treasures.

Upon arriving at Mazbar, the staff of Corvus Scriptorium began to unload the latest delivery. Fiach stepped down from the wagon. The estate looked basically the same except the trees and bushes had grown. Ulixes came out to see what arrived and stopped in surprise. Except for the fact he was dressed as a female, Raben hadn’t changed. The man was well aware that Fiach had made the trip from Athens to Alexandria. To see her now after four years... was a bit unsettling. She moved and spoke as if she had been born female.

Together they headed into the manor house where Ulixes’ family greeted Fiach. By this time Ulixes was fifty two, his wife Quinta was fifty three. The widowed step-daughter, Aula, had married the foreman of the vellum factory. Quinta’s grandson, Aula’s son Decimus was nine. The couple had a son five and daughter three. Quinta’s sons Appius, twenty three, was serving in the Legions. Son Manius, twenty one, was married to Kara, twenty. They had a daughter Rae, two. Manius was running the scriptorium. Son Lucius, sixteen, was learning on the job how to run the farm. Daughters Marca and Tita had married and moved out with their husbands, Spuria was still at home.
Besides Ulixes, only Quinta knew that Fiach was Raben and about the Curse. The others thought her cover story that she was Raben’s wife was true. Quinta was a bit spooked that Raben hadn’t changed one iota in the eight years she knew him. That he was still prepubescent and easily assumed the role of a female baffled her common sense. Still, she realized Raben had saved her family from insolvency and was now providing a better standard of living then she’d had with her first husband.

The three discussed Fiach’s travels and the hundreds of texts flowing into Corvus Scriptorium in Rome. Fiach had become comfortable in her role as a female. She also discovered people treated her better. As a prepubescent boy he was dismissed and often denigrated. As a prepubescent girl she was still often dismissed but treated with a modicum of civility. It was easier for people to accept Fiach as a knowledgeable physician rather than Raben. Due to his/her perceived age people underestimated his/her ability to fight and defend him/herself, however the effect was enhanced by those that thought she was female. She decided to continue living as her own wife while in Rome.

Once she was settled in she opened the crate with the rock she’d sent from Egypt. Now that she had free time she closely examined the glossy rock realizing from her reading it was a meteorite. After careful examination she decided to take a five pound chunl to a silversmith she knew only she’d have to go as Raben.

The man listened to Raben’s story of how he’d found the rock and was amazed. “This rock had to be thrown by the gods!”

Raben watched as the man tapped the rock. It was obviously metallic but not one they could identify. The man was eager to buy the metallic rock. They began to dicker.

Finally Raben accepted his offer... with a condition. “I want you to use a bit of the metal to make me a signet ring. The band will be covered with etched feathers and the signet will be encircled with feathers. The center of the signet will be a raven seated on a branch.” Raben quickly sketched his idea. The deal was done.

raven ring
Raben had never felt comfortable with the adopted last name of Longinus. Now that he had established dual identities as Raben and Fiach and since both identities were noted healers, he decided to select a surname more appropriate to his/her current and future selves. After much thought he decided to use Corvo as his/her surname since that was the Latin name for Raven. The new signet ring would become the new identifier that was more appropriate since both names meant raven.

One thing that really hit Raben was how everyone had aged while he remained unchanged. It drove home the point he’d be forever watching others grow old and die while he remained the same. This upset him but he understood there was nothing he could do but accept his eternal youth.

After two months reviewing the books and observing operations Fiach, or rather Raben, decided to return to Barmaz. He accompanied the next shipment of scrolls. The trip over the high mountain pass was invigorating. It felt like he was returning home. The meteorite rock was also in this shipment to Barmaz.

It was mid July when he crested the trail onto the middle level of Barmaz. He’d stopped in the provincial capital to change his surname and register the signet ring. He caught up to the caravan and took the lead then urged his horse to the side to allow the caravan to pass. It gave him a feeling of relief to be away from the maddening rush of cosmopolitan life. It had been almost five years since Raben left. As he approached he swung off the path so he could see the scree pile. The scree was intact with grasses and a few sturdy shrubs and small trees growing. A large area of the field was bare with grasses and flowers just starting to grow.

As he rode across the pasture the then twenty seven year old wife of the oldest son left the buildings where the caravan was unloading heading across the pasture to meet the straggler. She gasped when she recognized Raben. Raben dismounted and the pair hugged, then walked towards the buildings. The Bricus patriarch was now fifty one and his wife was forty seven. Their son, thirty one, was now running the farm with his wife. Their sons were thirteen and seven, their daughters eleven and nine. After the caravan was unloaded into the first floor barn Raben spent nearly an hour discussing the farm. Things on the farm were going well but the son was dissatisfied with his life wanting to move down valley to be around more people. Raben acknowledged the desire asking them to stay on for another few months so he could get someone to take over the farm. When he offered to give them enough cash to live on for a year they agreed to stay on until the fall.

The slaves had completed the construction of the hidden archives in the scree pile. The building that concealed the entrance was in excellent shape. The slaves were nervous wondering what their future held. After touring the archive tunnels Raben was pleased. The tunnels were watertight with no sign of water dripping from the roof or seeping through the sides. The French drains were functioning as designed diverting water away from the tunnels into the central drain beneath the stable floor. That drain ran beneath the stone paved path leading to the building to empty into the streambed beneath the small stone bridge that now crossed over the Torrent de Barme as it passed through the middle pasture. He thanked them for their efforts. Then he sat down with the slaves to discuss their future.
“Most of the work I initially wanted you to do has been completed,” Raben began. “I’ve decided to have you improve the paths and trails into paved roads with stone bridges across the streams and gullies. This means widening some paths to roads twenty feet. For the paths on steep slopes widen them to ten feet. To do that you’ll need to dig into the hillside and dump the excavated material over the side of the path. The winter freeze will cause the unsupported hillside to collapse onto the new road so you’ll have to go back to shovel the rubble over the side. The other thing I’d like is to clear the trees in the level areas of the lower pastures. We’ll use the lumber to build a house and barn near the Route de Barme on the eastern slope of the mountain just after the path to Barmaz heads off. I want the cleared land to be farm land for grains and beans. I also want stone bridges built across the streams wherever a path crosses.”

Since they had built their barn/home and were accustomed to moving rock and debris due to the work they did in the skree to build the archives, the challenge of the new projects was reasonable. While two of the men began widening the path from the lower to the middle pastures, the rest selected the location to build the farm house and barn. The main road exiting Champery, the last village on the La Vieze River, roughly followed the terrain along the La Vieze. The road crossed the Torrent de Barme which was a tributary of La Vieze. The path leading to Barmaz cut off from that road as the road crossed the Torrent de Barme. A sturdy stone bridge would be needed there.

The foundation for the house and barn were dug and a stone foundation put in place. Then as the trees were felled they were used to construct the buildings. The work went smoothly with Raben working shoulder to shoulder with his slaves. Raben assigned one of the couples to run the farm as both had grown up on farms.

During the next two weeks Raben made sure the slaves were doing as he directed. Then he left, heading back to Germany to visit his family and hopefully convince some of them to move to Barmaz.

The trip, mounted with a pack horse took eighteen days to reach the Roman Fort at Halheim where he crossed into Roman territory eight years before. He visited the current Fort commander identifying himself as a Roman citizen and letting him know he was going to visit his Germanic family to invite them to follow him to his estate. While unusual, Raben had the documents to back up that he was a successful physician and estate holder. He also let it be known he would be financially grateful. He also purchased six horses with tack. The six new horses were tethered to his pack horse forming a pack train when he left Roman territory.

It took four days to reach the villages of his youth. As he rode in many gasped to see him unchanged. Many were nervous until he assured them he was not staying but only came to visit his family. Even so they kept an eye on him. When he reached his family the reunion was happy.
Taking two nephews he went out hunting while word was sent out for the family to gather. Although his woodland skills were rusty no one would know. The boys were amazed as they followed their silent uncle. They came upon a herd of dear. They were even more amazed when Raben dropped a deer, then notched and fired another arrow hitting a second deer before it could bolt into the trees. The boys could talk of little but his archery prowess as they carried the carcasses home.

The family gathered the next day feasting on the venison. Like his brothers he was forty two. Their mother was fifty six. As they ate he regaled them with tales of his travels and the places he’d seen. His brothers talked about the changes occurring in their area of Germany. While they had not yet been greatly effected they knew changes were on the way. Eastern and northern Germanic tribes were on the move pushing into the areas already occupied by other Germanic tribes who were pushed against the Romans border. There had already been fighting between some of their tribe with those encroaching. Their clan had not been involved but the writing was on the wall.

Raben then invited his family to follow him to his farmstead. He didn’t color the hardships but insisted the location was so far off the beaten path they would be relatively safe from encroachment. Plus, he explained, he had slaves who could show them what was needed to operate the farm.

After a lot of discussion in which Raben described the fighting he’d witnessed and the strength of the Roman Legions, Adalfuns and Adlebert decided to make the move. It was Raben’s heart felt belief that while the tribes could win battles, they could not win a war. Roman reinforcements would always ne brought in to overwhelm their opponents. Their mother and two half siblings decided to go along as did their spouses and all their adult children, a total of seventy seven people, thirty eight adults and thirty nine children. It took a week for the family to wrap up their lives saying goodbye to family and friends. Their pared down belongings were strapped onto the pack horses. There were twenty eight children five and under who were carried by the adults or periodically rode on the horses. Raben’s family spoke the old German dialect of their tribe. As they traveled Raben did his best to teach them basic Latin. At each break he gathered the family for lessons in language. The four day outbound trip to the border took six days inbound.

As they traveled Raben realized this family needed a surname. He’d already adopted the surname of Corvo and hoped it would be appropriate. “In the Roman territories surnames are often needed. As a family we should all have the same surname. I’ve been using Corvo which is raven in Latin. Since our mother’s first name is Cori, I think Corvo might be a suitable surname for all of us. Truth be told we’re starting a new clan, the Clan Corvo. We’ll all be of the Corvoian lineage.

No one in the family objected so they agreed to become the Corvo family, Clan Corvo.

It was mid afternoon of the sixth day when they came within sight of the Halheim fort. As they crossed the open pasture to the fort the soldiers went on alert. The family stopped five hundred feet out and sat in the grass with the pack train as Raben mounted his horse and rode in alone. The soldiers recognized the healer and called the commander. Raben explained his mother, brothers, and sisters and their families had accepted his invitation to come to his estate.

The commander and a mounted squad rode with Raben back to his family. Raben introduced his family. The commander relaxed as he was able to see they were indeed an extended family. They decided to camp overnight in the field so the military scribes had time to draw up papers for the immigrants. Raben returned with the commander to his office where gold coins exchanged hands to facilitate the immigration.

By noon the next day the family had their papers and passed through the gate and fort into Halheim. For all but Adlebert it was their first time in a Roman town. They looked about taking in the Romanized citizens and buildings. They drew an equal amount of attention from the citizens. Raben led them through the town to a farmstead just outside of the town where he’d made arrangements for a campsite. Once they began setting up camp Raben took his four unmarried fifteen to seventeen year old nieces into town to buy supplies. The girls were amazed at the selections in the markets. Unfortunately they attracted the wrong kind of attention.

A group of young men began stalking the group as they made their purchases and headed out of town. The girls became anxious but Raben told them they were safe. As they cleared the village the men surrounded the group making lewd comments and requests.

Raben, who was the smallest and looked the youngest of the group, stepped forward. “Boys, if you value your lives I suggest you head back into town.”

“Oh, We’re scared!” The leader laughed. “Run on home little boy before you get hurt.”

“Idiots like you never learn,” Raben sighed. “Let’s make this interesting. I’m an Ianuarian. I’ll take on the six of you at one time. If I win I’ll patch up your wounds. If I lose you can have your way with the girls.”

The girls gasped and huddled together as the guys licked their lips.

“You’re on, kid,” the leader laughed. “Come on guys, the sooner we beat this smart ass the sooner we get the girls.”

As Raben stepped away from the girls the guys surrounded him. “This is your last chance to walk away,” Raben smiled at them.

The guys swarmed Raben only to find themselves charging into each other as the small boy leapt straight into the air tucking into a somersaulting ball before coming down on top of the confused bruised guys taking the staggered group to the ground. Before they could recover a flurry of kicks and punches began to rain down on them. The girls watched in disbelief as their small wiry uncle tore into the six guys. The fight was savage but brief.

In under two minutes the six guys were sprawled upon the ground. Three were unconscious and the other three groaning in pain.

Raben stood amongst them. “I warned you to walk away. Heck, you didn’t even land a blow on me. You’re lucky I held back and didn’t break any bones. You’re even luckier I didn’t pull out my knives or you’d all be dead. Come on girls, lets head back to camp.”

The girls were stunned. Even though they witnessed the brief skirmish they had trouble believing their eyes. They had heard the tales of their small uncle taking out ninety eight Roman slavers to free their captured family and other clan members. For the first time they really thought the stories could very well be true.

Naturally when they arrived back at the campsite the girls excitedly told their tale about uncle Raben taking out six bigger guys at once. Raben just shrugged his shoulders as if he’d done nothing out of the ordinary.

“I haven’t changed a bit since I gained the Curse,” Raben explained. “I still have all the physical abilities I had back then.”

“We’ll post a watch tonight just in case they want revenge,” Adlefuns said.

“You’re right. Just because we’re inside Roman territory doesn’t mean we’re safe from thieves and troublemakers,” Raben advised. “We should post a watch every night while we’re traveling.”

Raben took his four unmarried nephews and six horses to head back to town to the stable. There he picked up the three wagons he’d ordered before he crossed the border. He also bought six additional horses. The stable crew explained and demonstrated how to attach the harness to each horse then attach the harnesses to the wagons. They would have four horses per wagon plus Raben’s original horse and packhorse. After loading grain bags, water and wine amphora on the wagons they headed back to the camp.

The night was peaceful. Upon breaking camp they took some of the tents to cover the wagons then loaded a lot of their gear in the beds of the wagons. In two wagons they loaded nine of the five and under kids with ten of the five and under kids in the third wagon. Each wagon also had two mothers and two teens to watch the little kids. The ten mothers, all of whom were nursing, would rotate riding so they could nurse their infants. The four unmarried nephews were the designated wagoneers. Raben’s mother, the family matriarch at fifty six would ride on a horse as would Raben so he could ride up and down the column and be readily available if one of the wagons spooked. Several times a day Raben broke out his flute and played happy tunes as they traveled.

The trip through the mountains and valleys of Switzerland was eye opening for the family. Accustomed to the tree heavy low mountains and valleys of their natal home to see the higher mountains and broader valleys not to mention the numerous large lakes drew their eyes to nature’s bounty. The further south they traveled, the higher the mountains grew, many of the highest still capped with snow. Back where they came from the difference between the valleys and hill tops was no more than 400 feet. By the time they entered the Rhone River valley as it entered Lake Geneva the difference between the valley floor and the surrounding mountaintop had grown to 5250 feet. The towering snowy peaks were simply awe inspiring.

They reached Monthey at noon and turned up the Vieze valley. They stopped for the night in Champery, the last village of the valley. The family found it mind boggling as he pointed higher into the surrounding mountains as their final destination. The trip to Barmaz took the family twenty one days. Needless to say they were all weary.

The next morning, the start of the last full week of August, they set out from Champery. A mile outside of the village they arrived at the cleared land. They saw the barn and house built onto the slope with some crops in the fields between the tree stumps. There was a man and woman working the fields that Raben rode out to greet.

“They are two of my slaves. This is the first of three levels of my farmstead,” Raben explained when he returned to the group. “Some of you will live here in that house.”

They then followed Raben as he led them beyond the fields through the low pastures, then up the switch back road to the middle pastures. The vista as they topped the switchback road onto the plateau of the middle pastures stunned them in it’s simplistic beauty. The houses and barns with the chickens, young lambs and their mothers gamboling about brought a smile to everyone’s face.

The circling flight of a pair of golden eagles drew everyone’s eyes. Raben smiled then dismounted, reached into a pack on his horse to pull out a leather pouch and ran out into the field away from everyone else but close enough for them to easily hear and see. Cupping his hands to his mouth he let out a nerve shattering screech. The circling eagles replied with their own nearly identical screeches. Then one of the eagles came lower and circled Raben. They once more exchanged screeches. By then his family, the Bricus family and the slaves were all watching. The male eagle swept down as if it was attacking Raben. Raben stood his ground raising his left arm to hold it straight as the observers gasped. At the last moment the eagle feathered his wings to land on Raben’s outstretched arm. Smiling he reached out and scratched the head of the eagle. Reaching in his pocket he pulled out a piece of jerky which he gave to the eagle.

The eagle quickly gobbled the jerky strip. Raben and the eagle chirped and screeched for a bit then the eagle flew into the air to rejoin it’s still circling mate. The majestic birds chirped and screeched then the male eagle flew back to land on Raben’s arm. Raben and the eagle called out to the circling female. After a bit of hesitation she flew down to land on the ground several feet in front of Raben. Raben sat and pulled a piece of jerky from the pouch.

Everyone watched in awe as Raben took a bite of the jerky, then tore a chunk off which he gave to the male eagle before offering the remaining meat to the female. Hesitantly she moved until she was able to take the jerky. Within five minutes Raben was able to stroke the female eagle.

After ten minutes the magnificent birds then flew off. Even the Bricus family stood with mouths agape as Raben strode back to join them. Raben explained his encounter with the male eagle eight years previously when he took possession of Barmez.

Everyone enjoyed lunch. Then he took his family to the upper pastures. Needless to say they were impressed with the amount of land that Raben owned. Even taking into account that nearly a quarter of the land was too steep and rocky, useless for farming, the remainder was still impressive. The herds of cows and goats and flocks of sheep were also mind boggling for the Germans accustomed to forests. They returned to the middle pastures to set up camp for the night.

The next week was spent with Raben’s family exploring life at Barmaz. The Bricus family was happy. By the end of the week the son who had been running the farm moved down valley with his family leaving the family patriarch and matriarch behind. The older couple didn’t want to leave their life long home and would assist in teaching the newcomers how to handle the farm. Raben eased their minds when he told them they could stay as long as they want, even until they passed.

Each day the eagle pair would seek Raben out. After five days, when they arrived a pair of juvenile birds were with them. When the adults landed, the youngsters flew closer, then cautiously landed. In minutes they were enjoying scratches and jerky.

Realizing his family would grow rapidly Raben did a lot of thinking. When he was fourteen he’d had six blood relatives including his stepfather. Now twenty six years later there were seventy seven in only two and one half generations. Assuming all the children married and averaged three and one half kids each, along with assuming only three generations alive at a time, in another five generations, a hundred years, there could be just shy of twenty thousand in his extended family. Of course some would not marry and others would set out to see the world, but even if half left, he’d need land enough to support ten thousand!

As his family settled in Raben spent a week riding through the surrounding valleys talking to the herdspeople and farmers. It was clear he needed to expand Barmaz because his family was already too large for the present area to support. A half mile south and upstream from Champery the Vieze passed through a narrow canyon. The first tributary heading southeast, was the Saufla. That stream’s watershed was much like Barmaz. The upper reaches were steep and mountainous soaring to rocky snow capped peaks. The lower and middle reaches had plenty of trees, pastures and land suitable for small scale farming. It was about the same size as Barmaz.

The next major Vieze tributary was the Torrent De Barme the watershed of which made up Barmaz. There were no more major tributaries to the VIeze but it’s remaining watershed drained the adjacent valley situated to the north of Barmaz. This valley had an area equal in size and altitude similar to both the upper and middle pastures. Both areas had large areas of evergreen trees but if the trees were harvested it took nearly fifty years for new trees to grow to harvestable size.

Raben spoke with the herders and farmers occupying the land to determine who owned the properties. He discovered no one knew who owned the land. Those who lived there had been there for generations, well before the Romans had come into the area. The land was so marginal no one had ever registered title much less questioned or even desired ownership. Herding was barely above subsistence level so owning the land wasn’t profitable for landlords. Other than rocks and trees the land had no natural resources. It would be nearly impossible for an absentee owner to make any profit off the land. Only someone like Raben... or his predecessor Marcellus Longinus who had initially purchased Barmaz... with multi generational long term self interest would make such an investment in subsistence level pasture land. It was perfect for Raben’s desire to protect and preserve his family. There were fourteen married couples in his family. The couples traveled with Raben as he visited the neighboring farms to negotiate buying the land and arrange for the selling families to spend a month training the new family how to milk the goats and cows, make cheese and tend the flocks of sheep.

Wisely Raben had been including coins in his document shipments. Hidden amongst each shipment of terra cotta boxes, were three with coins wrapped in cloth to limit and muffle their movement and to keep them in a similar weight range of document bearing boxes. Retrieving coins from the archive he took his family shopping for additional land.

Raben rode into the provincial capital at Forum Claudii Vallensium. There he thoroughly checked the archives for any records of ownership for any of the lands adjacent to Barmaz. He discovered beyond Monthey, there were no records that anyone owned any of the Vieze watershed. Inquiries revealed that very few of the isolated mountain ringed valleys forming the watersheds emptying into the Rhone had documented owners since there was nothing of value there. With a well placed bribe he returned to the valley with a clerk from the governor’s staff and a magistrate to draw legal property bills of sale and transfers with all required provincial seals.

Arriving at Barmaz they spent the night in the newly built house. The next day they went to each of the original owners where the transfer of ownership was documented. Raben made sure the documents included the suitability of the land: primarily steep barren rocky slopes with marginal pasture in the valleys between with no natural resources. The entire La Vieze watershed upstream from Champery was now officially listed as being owned by Raben Corvo, head of the Clan Corvo, with his descendants listed as his heirs in the provincial capital of Forum Claudii Vallensium. An imprint of the raven signet ring was embossed on the documents. The last thing he did was to hire a childless widow who knew how to read and write to continue to teach his family when he left.

Raben returned to Barmaz. After talking to the elder Bricus’, his mother, and his siblings and their spouses it was clear that once most people reached the age of forty their physical prowess began to decrease. His siblings and spouses were right on the cusp, being between thirty five and forty two. The Bricus’ along with his mother were on the downslope, being between forty seven and fifty six. While mentally sharp they were having stamina issues. They didn’t want to stop working since in the pastoral society of the Bricus’ and the Celtic/Germanic society of the Corvo’s, retirement was unknown. One worked until they could do nothing. Living past the age of contribution was only possible if one’s family supported them. No one wanted to be a burden. Raben suggested that as people aged they had to recognize and admit their decline by earnestly training their younger family to replace them in the day to day work load. Then, once the younger were ready, to allow them to take over. To avoid power struggles, the older people needed to step away yet provide wisdom and sage advice for the Clan Corvo. They would form a Council of Elders. The large three story building Raben had built to camouflage the Barmaz archive would be a perfect place for the older family members to relocate. The toddlers of the family, once weaned, would stay on the top floor where the widow he’d hired would teach them how to read, write and do simple math. They’d also record a family history. Basic work skills would also be taught including cooking, cleaning, laundry, animal husbandry, carpentry and such to the boys and girls. Raben’s nephews and nieces agreed with the plan.

Within a week the fourteen families were spread across the watershed of La Vieze upstream from Champery. They were close enough to assist each other but far enough apart to thrive. Over the next month the fourteen families settled into their new homes. Any renovations or additions were begun with the help of the slaves. Then Raben’s mom and the Bricus’ moved into the archive building, now renamed the Elder House. The Bricus’ advised and demonstrated what was needed to prepare the herds and farmsteads for winter. Raben’s grandnephews and nieces between three and five moved into the third floor of the Elder house where he taught them to read and write.

The snows began with the start of December. The entire Clan Corvo was awestruck by the pristine whiteness of the surrounding mountain peaks. The snow in the pastures melted but the mountains remained white. With each succeeding snowfall the snow pack built. By January the upper pastures were snow covered. By the end of January the middle pastures were snow covered and the high pastures were snowbound. Although there were a few stumbles the family adapted to the harsher Alpine winter. As the snows melted the streams in Barmaz stayed in the sharp canyons they had cut over the eons.

As the accumulated snows melted the pastures erupted into alpine flowers. Once the pastures were snow free the Bricus’ taught the Corvo’s how to shear sheep and goats. Soon they were processing the wool and the lambs were born.

It was end of April of 204 when Raben left Barmaz to return to Rome. His nephew, seventeen year old Harl, Adlebert’s youngest son accompanied him. To those who met the travelers they assumed Raben was the younger of the duo. Harl found it difficult to believe the road to the Poeninus Pass was so high. The road just kept climbing and climbing. When they started down the other side he was relieved. Raben’s natural affinity for languages astounded the teen. During rest periods Raben demonstrated simple self defense moves while reinforcing the best way to survive a fight was to avoid one.

Taking their time it was third week of May when they reached Mazbar. Ulixes and his family warmly welcomed Raben and Harl. It quickly became clear that Harl and Ulixes youngest step daughter, sixteen year old Spuria were entranced with each other. Harl began working in the scriptorium learning all aspects of the trade. The lovebirds planned to wed in October. Raben felt the need to tell his family and accompanied the mid July Mazbar to Barmaz shipment. Staying only a week he returned to Mazbar arriving in late September for the wedding accompanied by his niece, Lisl, Adalfuns’ youngest daughter.

Harl warmly greeted his cousin and she was welcomed by Ulixes’ family. Just as happened between Harl and Spuria, Lisl and seventeen year old Lucius, Ulixe’s stepson, hit it off. They would marry in the spring. Raben’s family was firmly intermingled with Ulixes’ adopted family.

Raben spent the next few years shuttling back and forth between Barmaz and Mazbar. During that time his musical interests grew. The Pandura was a modified centuries old Greek version of a 3 string lute with a medium length neck mounted atop small resonating chamber to which the Romans added 4th string. Raben bought one and learned to play it with zest and flair.

The Roman empire was seething during this time. Emperor Septimus Severus and his co-emperor and son Caracalla had been in Rome rewriting Roman law while transforming the government into a military despotic monarchy. The constitutional power of the Roman Senate was quashed and many senators executed. This was partially accomplished by getting the near absolute loyalty of the army by increasing their wages by one third. Severus was popular with the citizens of Rome, having ruthlessly stamped out the rampant corruption of Commodus's reign.

Raben’s family continued to grow. Both Harl and Lisl had children with their respective spouses. In 205 Raben brought fifteen year old Jarl, his step brothers youngest son, from Barmaz on his last trip before the pass became snowbound for the winter. Jarl found the scriptorium quite intriguing and began to copy scrolls.

Even better was that Corvus Scriptorium was turning a hefty profit and business was booming. The quality of the copies produced was impeccable and it was becoming scrolls and codexes from the literary enterprise. Instead of hiring scribes, Raben had made it policy to find orphan street urchins with above average intelligence to bring into the scriptorium as apprentices. The homeless kids, both male and female, were truly grateful for regular meals and a warm safe place to sleep. They were eager to learn and being young were able to be trained to be the exacting scribes for which Corvus Scriptorium was increasingly noted. Even with the expense of finding and housing the kids, Corvus Scriptorium was reproducing documents in half the time of competing scriptoriums at a quarter of the cost.

In December Raben decided it was time to return to Alexandria. Jarl was eager to accompany him. Since only Fiach was known at Zamrab, Raben decided she should make the trip with Jarl. Like the rest of the family Jarl had seen his uncle assume his feminine identity. This was the first time it would be a continuous role. The voyage across the open Mediterranean was not easy for Jarl. The first three days he was barely mobile being seasick. Not wanting to clean the messes, the crew normally tied a person with chronic seasickness to a side post where they could toss their cookies over the side without the risk of falling overboard. Fiach tended to her nephew until her motion sickness remedy took hold. While never really getting his sea legs, at least he could move about the vessel. When the coast of Africa hove into view Jarl was elated even though they were still two days out of port. They landed in Alexandria mid morning with Jarl vowing to never sail the open seas again.

It was noon when they reached the town side dock of Zamrab. They had to signal the island to send their boat over to pick them up. Clearly her arrival created a stir as dozens of men on the distant dock began to scramble about. It had been three years since Fiach left for Rome. By their reaction she knew something was not right but played innocent so as not to make them more unpredictable. Quietly she warned Jarl to be prepared for trouble by staying out of the way.

“I apologize for arriving unannounced,” Fiach smiled when the boat carrying the scriptorium manager and half a dozen armed men reached the dock. “I didn’t decide to come until a month ago and took the first ship.” With that Fiach and Jarl stepped onto the boat with their gear. “There is no need to scurry about making special preparations. We’ll just go to my fourth floor apartment.”

“NO! Ahh, we had a bad storm a few months ago and the roof was damaged,” the anxious manager exclaimed. “Ahh...”

“You’re not a very good liar,” Fiach icily declared as she glared at the sweating man.

The armed men, who clearly did not look like scribes began to fidget but kept silent. When they stepped off the boat at the Zamrab dock additional armed men surrounded Fiach and Jarl as the manager stayed huddled on the boat. She noted the well used swords at the sides of the new men.

The men had heard the story of how Fiach had single handedly killed a number of men attacking a Christian compound. She had claimed to be a Demon Killer. They assumed she must be an Amazonian Warrior. Yet what they saw before them, a slight girl, barely a teen... what kind of a warrior could she be? If she was lucky the only demons she could slay would be rampaging squirrels.

With sixteen to one odds Fiach wasn’t about to wait for them to attack... or risk her nephew. With a lightening move she drew her own sword quickly and harshly struck Jarl between his legs with the flat of the blade. With a painful grunt her suddenly breathless nephew dropped to the dock curling into the fetal position groaning in agony.

Clearly her action attacking her nephew caught the men unprepared. It was all the delay she needed as she leapt at them. A look of shocked surprise was frozen on the head of the biggest thug rolled across the wooden dock as blood briefly sprayed nearly three feet high before permanently stopping. His sword clattered to the deck from his lifeless hand two seconds before his body crumbled. A second man screamed as he dropped his sword in a fruitless attempt to prevent his guts from spilling onto the deck. The others sprung to the attack.

Two more men fell before a sword was thrust into her back, through her left side kidney, with the point popping out above her appendix. The pain and shock of the mortal wound jolted her already hyped body into overdrive with a tremendous burst of adrenalin. Without hesitating Fiach spun ripping the sword jammed through her body from the man’s grasp before hacking off the man’s arm. The man screamed in horror as he looked with disbelief at the stump of his arm with his lifeblood pumping out. The remaining attackers paused shocked at seeing carnage the small girl had already wrought amongst them. At the same time their battle experience told them the sword piercing her body was a mortal wound.

“Damn that hurts,” Fiach gasped as she used her free hand to touch the sword tip that stuck four inches out of the right front side of her stomach. “Plus it really pisses me off!” Then she let out an evil laugh as she relaunched her assault on the stunned men.

Two men fell before they could react to her renewed vicious assault. Several began to back off looking for a way to escape the demon girl. Others were backed to the edge of the deck with no where to flee. Even as she her heavy breathing began to spew blood Fiach pressed the attack. Three more clearly terrified men fell to her sword. Two others slipped on the blood soaked wood of the dock falling off the side of the dock into the water. The flustered leader rallied his four remaining men and pressed the attack.

Fiach fought savagely even as trickles of blood oozed from the entrance and exit points of the sword skewering her gut. By then blood was spraying from her mouth with each heaved breath making her look like a blood soaked demon yet she continued to doggedly fight on. Two more men fell to her darting sword before the leader landed a blow that sliced into her upper left arm stopping only when it hit bone. Fortunately the brachial artery had not been cut however she was barely able to move her left arm. Wisely she pressed it against her stomach limiting movement damage and keeping it out of the way.

That she not only remained on her feet after another horrific wound but didn’t falter in her attack terrified the three remaining men.

“Remember, I am the Demon Slayer,” Fiach bloodily chortled knowing she was weakening. She could see the ever increasing fear on the faces of her remaining opponents and concentrated on the leader charging him exchanging savage blows.

The remaining duo who had fought numerous bloody battles were really shaken by the savagely grinning visage of the bloody barely teenage girl. Fighting an army of men was one thing, but to face a demon who laughed off injuries... they wanted nothing more than to turn tail and run. Unfortunately on the small manmade island of Zamrab there was no where to run. Never the less they backed off from the deadly duo in their dance of death.

After dancing around each other trading blows the large man managed to land a hard blow that knocked her sword from her hand. Smiling in triumph he went in for the kill.

Fiach didn’t even try to retrieve her weapon. Instead with a solid thump she dropped to the bloody deck onto her ass. Without a pause she reached inside her vest and pulled a knife.

The leader thought he’d won when she went down. Wanting to savor his bloody victory he paused to gloat even as she sat brandishing the knife. “Now you die bitch!” He snarled as he lifted his sword to deliver a powerful two handed overhead kill stroke.

The gloating move left his legs unprotected. “Go to hell,” Fiach swore as she butt jumped forward while lashing out like a flash of lightening with the razor sharp knife.

The leader screamed in pain as the blade plunged into his left thigh striking the bone. By hoping forward she came too close to him so he was unable to deliver his intended fatal blow. The pain also made him flinch and lose his balance as he tried to reposition his sword. Then his right foot slipped on the blood soaked wood causing him to pitch forward.

Fiach realized he was going to land on her so she laid back a bit and twisted so the hilt of the sword skewering her was at a 180° angle to the deck with the point sticking straight up. Th falling man saw the sword blade was pointed at him as he fell but was too off balance to avoid landing on it.

The blood filled ‘OOOFFF’ sprayed from Fiach as the man’s body impaled itself on the four inches of blade. The blade pierced the center of his chest severing his aorta. Yet even as his body spasmed in his death throes Fiach was heaving his bulk up off the blade and wriggling from beneath his heaving bulk. The big man rolled off her onto the decking. The expression upon his face was one of utter disbelief as he raised his head to look at the small girl whom he knew had just killed him.

“Tell Anubis I send my regards,” Fiach gasped as she watched the life flee from the leader’s eyes before his head bounced off the deck.

By then the two remaining fighters were absolutely terrified that she had killed their fierce leader with the blade of the sword still protruding from her body. Fiach knew if they worked together they could kill her but their shock and fear froze them. Reaching inside her vest she pulled out her sling. Although awkward and painful she was able to load lead bullets into the pouch with her left hand. Before the men snapped from their shock a sling bullet thunked through the forehead of one man sinking deep into his brain instantly dropping him. The last man turned to run away. He only made it five steps before a sling bullet blew a hole in the back scrambling his brains inside his skull. He was dead before he fell.

Fiach didn’t relax but pushed herself to her feet. There were still two men in the water. Both were trying to scramble into the boat. Wisely the scriptorium manager jumped into the water. Twice more the sling twirled. The first man was hit as he was slipping over the side into the boat. His dead body slid into the bottom of the boat. The last man made it into the boat. He fell dead as he picked up an oar.

The manager was gobsmacked. He had heard of Fiach’s fighting ability but to see the small girl in action against sixteen men was mind numbing. That she had single handedly killed all sixteen of the battle hardened well armed men in just under five minutes was unbelievable. She really was a Demon Slayer!

Jarl was equally stunned. He’d grown up hearing the stories that Raben had single handedly killed ninety eight Romans years before he was born. His father, aunt, uncles and grandmother all told about how the fourteen year old had rescued them. The tales had always seemed like fairy tales. It no longer seemed so unbelievable that his uncle had received a curse that stopped his aging so he was still that fourteen year old legend. The lingering ache in his groin reminded him that the blow had been struck to disable him to keep him out of the brief fierce fight. Now he understood just how formidable a fighter Raben, or in this case Fiach, could be.

Both watched as Fiach dropped to her knees. They could see the life leaking from her battered body. Jarl rushed to her side.

“My wounds are too great,” Fiach whispered to Jarl as the manager also came to her side. “My body will temporarily die while it heals itself. Pull the sword out then lay me on a bed. Even though I’ll die I’ll return to life within an hour. Do you understand?”

Yes,” Jarl whispered as he looked at the terrible wounds. “It’s part of your curse.”

“Yes,” Fiach managed to smile. “I need to sleep...” With that Fiach lifelessly slumped against Jarl.

“Is... Is sh... she dead,“ the manager asked.

“Yes and no,” Jarl sniffed as he hugged his ’aunt’ for a moment before pulling the sword from her body. “Help me carry her inside to a bed.”

The terrified scribes had watched the bloody battle through the windows. They couldn’t believe the small barely teenage girl had wiped out the sixteen brigands. It was also quite evident she was dead. Everyone followed as Jarl carried her up to her apartment living quarters where she was laid on a bed and covered as if she was sleeping.

Looking around at everyone Jarl sighed. “Fiach is unique. She looks like a thirteen year old but is my 45 year old aunt.”

The men frowned and mumbled in disbelief. None believed she could be that old.

“Those of you who knew her when she founded Zamrab seven years ago,” Jarl stated. “Or even those of you who last saw her when she left three years ago. Has her appearance changed at all since you first met her?”

The men exchanged confused looks since they realized she hadn’t changed.

“She was the smallest of premature triplets born to a widowed fourteen year old mother in Germania. The healer who helped with the birth realized she was too small to have a chance to survive with such a small mother and larger brothers so she adopted her. The healer raised her to be a healer and she also became a skilled hunter as she grew. When she was fourteen a Roman slaving party raided our villages. They killed many and captured all my family except her. She followed and during the night took out the camp guards with arrows then slit the throats of the sleeping Romans killing ninety eight in all. One of them had been difficult to kill, much like you witnessed how Fiach fought through her wounds. She killed him but he returned to life. The man was cursed having lived 165 years. He had been a Roman legionnarie in Jerusalem, part of the detachment that crucified Jesus. It was he who pierced Jesus’ side. That was how he received the Curse. Fiach figured out a way to permanently kill him but by doing so inherited the Curse. She has not aged since then. She can’t be poisoned. If killed she’ll come back to life. You know she is a healer not a demon. Our people call her the Demon Slayer”

The tale seemed quite farfetched but they were well aware of Jesus and his resurrection. Some were Christians. The men exchanged uncertain looks.

“Look at her arm!” One of the men exclaimed. “It’s healing!”

They all looked at her left forearm. They had all seen it had been cut to the bone. Now, although heavily scarred, it was knitting back together.

“Let her heal,” Jarl advised. While he knew of the Curse he had doubts about healing after being killed. Seeing her arm knitting back together made his doubts disappear. “We need to gather the bodies and clean up the mess.”

“Let’s get to it,” the manager agreed. “We’ll notify the city watch in the morning.”

The men were clearly spooked by the prospect of someone who had clearly died returning to life. The fact they were cleaning up sixteen dead bodies and the spilled blood of the brief deadly battle only added to the creepiness. Quite a bit of the blood had drained into the lake drawing the Nile crocodiles to Zambar Island. A feeding frenzy erupted as dozens of crocs fought for a share of the three dead brigands who had fallen into the water. Even more shaken, they gathered the remaining dead, stripping them of weapons and other valuables.

As they scrubbed the last of the blood off the deck they were startled to see Fiach leaning against the door. She looked drawn and sickly but was undeniably alive.

Jarl smiled with relief. “Aunt Fiach! Should you be up so soon?”

“I should be okay as long as I take it easy,” Fiach smiled weakly. “I need some wine and a bit of bread and cheese to speed my healing.”

The manager sent one of the scribes to bring a jug of wine and some bread while he brought a chair outside so Fiach could sit down. The clean up was quickly completed. More wine, bread and cheese was brought out for everyone to eat. They all warily kept eyeing Fiach. They could almost literally see her growing stronger as she ate. Fiach confirmed how she received the Curse and that it came from Christ’s death on the cross.

As the edge was taken off everyone’s appetite and the wine eased their unease about Fiach she asked, “Can someone explain what was going on?”

“It began about ten days ago,” the manager began. “We were returning after having dispatched our latest shipment to Rome. As we approached the dock we saw five men waiting. They drew swords and took us prisoner. Others soon arrived. They used Zamrab as a base of operation. We were kept prisoners. They made us keep working in the scriptorium. We were allowed to leave but had to be accompanied by two of them. We replenished our food and other supplies like normal... well, a lot more food and wine. We never had a chance to request help.”

Fiach frowned. “Do you know what they were doing?”

“We did our best to stay out of their way,” the manager stated. “Other than making us feed them they left us to our work. We overheard them talking. They were survivors of Pescennius Niger’s personal bodyguard. They were condemned to death in absentia and have been fleeing and hiding since his death twelve years ago. They were planning to take a ship to Rome to assassinate the emperor. They found out about our regular shipments and were coercing us to send them with the next shipment. They’d been watching us and learned our routine. They wanted to make sure we couldn’t betray them.”

“We’ll need to report this to the authorities,” Fiach said. “I’m sure there will be quite a bit of interest in them and possibly a nice reward. If there is it will be shared by all.”

“But you’re the one who killed them,” one of the men declared. “Why would you share it with us?”

“I’m the owner of Corvus Scriptorium and you’re my employees,” Fiach smiled at them. “All moneys that are earned here are shared, even rewards. If you’re questioned tell the truth with one exception. I’m sure the reputation of my fighting prowess is still known from three years ago so my ability to defeat the brigands will not be severly questioned. What we don’t want to reveal is that I was injured, especially that I died. If that gets out, I could be labeled a witch or a demon. You and all I own could be attacked. To keep ourselves safe my resurrection and healing must be kept secret.”

All understood her concerns. Their lives could be threatened if her secret got out.

As the sun set they prepared to turn in for the night. Once in her private apartment on the fourth floor, Jarl looked at his aunt. She smiled and showed him her arm. All that remained of the horrific wound was reddened skin. She exposed her abdomen where similar redness showed where she’d been skewered.

“I always doubted the stories about your Curse,” Jarl admitted. “But what I saw today... you are Cursed.”

“Yes I am,” Fiach agreed. “Before the Curse I spent a lot of time traveling as a healer. My earliest memories are gathering herbs in the forest. I learned how to track animals and their habits. At fourteen I was a formidable hunter, sharing my kills with those who needed food. I could run noiselessly through the forests for hours, climb trees like squirrel, and climb rock cliffs. Despite being so small I was the fastest runner, my strength, agility and endurance were the best of the clan. It was because of those abilities that I was able to wipe out the slave raiders, ninety eight warriors, by myself before receiving the Curse. After gaining the Curse all my abilities were enhanced. Honestly, today was the first time I was seriously injured. I can tell you it hurt like hell.”

Jarl shivered. “What was it like dying?”

“Scary,” Fiach answered softly. “I knew I was bleeding out and dying even as I fought on. The pain from the wounds... was the worst I ever experienced. As for what death was like... what I experienced was a blackness. I felt nor sensed anything... it was simply absolute nothingness. I have no way to know if a normal death is the same.”

Jarl nodded. “When did you know you were alive?”

“That’s difficult,” Fiach sighed. “I was never aware I was dead. I knew I was dying, but not when it happened. It was if I’d simply nodded off to sleep. As to knowing when I was alive, I just woke up. I was disoriented and dizzy for several moments like when you wake up after a solid night’s sleep. I need more sleep to fully recover so let’s get to bed.”

In the morning there was no evidence Fiach had been injured. The workers were clearly unnerved but trusted her enough to accept she was not evil. After breakfast she set out for the Provincial Governor’s office to report the incident. At the governors palace when she, Jarl and Paki Rashida, the Corvus Scriptorium manager, asked to see the head of security they were given the run around. After fifteen minutes of imbecilic dickering Fiach had enough.

“DAMN IT, JUST DO YOUR JOB,” she yelled aloud. “I’M ON OFFICIAL BUSINESS AND WILL NOT PAY YOU OR ANYONE ELSE A BRIBE!”

The other conversations in the public hall ended as everyone turned to see the unexpected outcry. Jarl and Paki were clearly stunned by the outburst and wisely stepped away from her.

Fiach reached out grabbing the tunic of the much bigger official pulling him to her as she suddenly whipped out a knife placing it against his throat. “I WANT THE HEAD OF SECURITY AND I WANT HIM NOW! EMPEROR SEVERUS WILL NOT BE PLEASED WHEN I TELL HIM ABOUT THE LEVEL OF INCOMPETENCE AND CORRUPTION IN THIS PLACE!”

By then everyone was backing away. The man she had at knife point literally wet himself. The guards who had been quite lackadaisical about their jobs snapped into action drawing their swords and cautiously approaching. Jarl and Paki wisely further distanced themselves from the looming confrontation.

“It’s about time you ass wipes started doing your damn jobs,” Fiach snarled. “Put up your swords before I have to kill you! WHERE IN HELL”S NAME IS THE INCOMPETENT HEAD OF SECURITY?”

“I’m in charge of security,” the sergeant of the guard snapped back as his six man squad spread out to surround the small girl.

“Then tell your men to back the fuck off before I hurt them,” Fiach glowered.

The sergeant nodded his head and the men began closing in.

“FUCKING ARROGANT STUPID ASS WIPES,” Fiach bellowed as she shook her head. Before anyone could react she squatted pulling the man she had been holding at knife point over her body as she deftly put the knife away. With a mighty heave she stood up lifting the man above her head as she threw him at the approaching guards taking three of them down.

Everyone froze with their eyes and mouths wide open in stunned disbelief that the small girl who seemed to be barely in her teens lifted the large man and literally threw him with seeming ease.

Fiach drew her sword and sprang at the three guards still standing before they could react. With a mighty swing she blasted a guard on the side of his helmet with the flat of her blade. The loud KLANG was muffled by the instantaneous THUD as the helm mashed into his head. Without pause she pivoted and did likewise to the next guard who quickly went down like the first man. By then she was facing off against the third remaining guard who was clearly scared. Without hesitation she attacked trading five rapid blows before smacking the side of his leg dropping him to the floor before knocking him out with a blast to his head.

The sergeant was gobsmacked as he watched Fiach dismantle his squad. By then the three men she’d initially dropped using the thrown man had scrambled to their feet in time to see Fiach take down the third man.

With a malevolent smile she sprung at them. As he backed up one tripped over the stunned thrown man and went down. Fiach quickly rang his chimes before he could get up. Then laughing she faced the other two. She tossed her sword straight up into the air twirling as it went. Before the two could figure out what she was doing her sling was spinning. Stone bullets to their helmets quickly dropped the pair before she reached out and caught her sword. Smiling intently she charged the sergeant.

The man was clearly terrified and barely had enough time to draw his sword to meet her attack. The clanging of striking blades echoed through the hall as she pressed her savage assault disarming the hapless man on the ninth stroke. The point of her sword pressed into his neck as sweat poured down his face.

“PLEASE NOTE NONE OF YOUR MEN ARE DEAD OR WOUNDED,” Fiach snarled. “I ONLY KNOCKED THEM OUT! If I’d wanted to kill them the fight would have been much shorter. Now, will someone PLEASE get the head of security?”

“Fiach! I would have guessed it was you raising hell but I didn’t know you were back in Alexandria,” Claudius Julianus, the Roman Governor of Egypt laughed as he led an entourage into the hall.

“I just arrived yesterday, Claudius,” Fiach replied as her sword disappeared inside her cloak. “I was hoping to speak to your head of security but you’re even better.”

By this time the sergeant of the guard was about to piss himself as it was clear the governor knew the small girl that had kicked his and his squad’s ass. The others in the room were equally surprised.

“I’m really not the one you need to talk to. Let me introduce my replacement, the new Governor of Egypt, Tiberius Claudius Aquila,” Claudius smiled. “Tiberius, let me introduce Fiach Longinus, the best physician and fighter I’ve ever met.”

“Actually my husband decided to change his surname to Corvo, so I’m now Fiach Corvo,” Fiach smiled with a nod.

“Corvo...,” Tiberius asked. “Any relation to Raben Corvo, the emperor’s sometime physician?”

“My husband,” Fiach answered.

“A physician and a fighter like your husband... and just as small,” Tiberius smiled. “Do you always go around beating up Roman soldiers?”

“Only when they attack me first,” Fiach answered. “Especially when I’m trying to help the Emperor.”

Tiberius smiled liking the spunky girl. “How can you help the Emperor?”

“I arrived to check on the Alexandrian office of Corvus Scriptorium which I founded on my last visit here,” Fiach stated growing serious. “Only to discover sixteen thugs had taken over the operation intending to use our regular shipping arrangements to make their way to Rome to assassinate Emperor Severus.”

The quiet murmurs that had grown amongst the onlookers abruptly ended.

“I realized something was wrong and as soon as I stepped off the boat at Zamrab Island they tried to attack me,” Fiach continued. “The fools didn’t know who I am. Three fell into Lake Mariout after I killed them and the crocodiles got them. The other thirteen are stacked on the deck by the Corvus Scriptorium dock.”

“Your bodyguards must be quite efficient,” Tiberius stated.

“I have no bodyguards,” Fiach replied. “I took them out by myself.”

That created a burst of conversation around the room.

Tiberius raised an eyebrow. “Were they inept fighters?”

“They were members of Niger’s bodyguards,” Fiach informed them. “They have been on the run for twelve years with a bounty on their heads. But like the guards here, they underestimated me.”

“Yes, I saw you take out seven experienced Roman soldiers without seriously wounding them and without suffering any wounds yourself,” Tiberius nodded. “Do you think there are more assassins?”

“I have no idea,” Fiach answered. “How many people want to see Emperor Severus dead? If it is an organized plot the sooner the emperor knows the better.”

“I’m leaving for Rome tomorrow,” Claudius stated. “I’ll personally notify the emperor.”

“Decanus, send a message to your Centurion to have a thirty man detachment ready to leave in fifteen minutes to accompany Fiach to her island to recover the bodies of these wanted traitors. We’ll discuss your ineptitude later.”

Two hours later the soldiers were ferrying the bodies of the thirteen dead traitors to the shore so the
authorities could verify their identities. Once they left, Jarl looked at his aunt. “You took a chance attacking that jerk at the governor’s office.”

“Not really,” Fiach smiled. “In Rome Raben met Tiberius when I was treating the emperor. I learned he had been appointed to replace Claudius. When we landed yesterday I saw him on the docks. In a friendly change of governors it’s normal procedure for the outgoing man to give the incoming man a tour of the city explaining important information. Then they have a sit down meal discussion. The next evening they hold the actual transfer at a formal dinner. They spend the day at the governor’s office reviewing matters and procedures. I knew they were in the office. Once I met the idiot in the lobby I knew he was trying to show off his ‘efficiency’ so I decided to knock him down, harshly. I knew if I made enough noise Claudius and Tiberius would come to see what was going on.”

“But fighting the guards,” Jarl declared.

“What fight? There was no fight,” Fiach smiled. “I sized them up when we arrived. Out of shape, out of practice, apathetic, and overconfident that no one would dare to start a fight. I just opened their eyes and taught them a hard lesson.”

“That guy... you lifted him over your head and threw him,” Jarl shook his head. “Was that strength part of your Curse?”

“Yes and no,” Fiach sighed. “I was always the smallest of my age mates so I was a favorite target. I had a choice, to let them physically dominate me or to fight back so intensely they’d leave me alone. I fought back. Just a week before the slaving raid I beat your uncles, who were a foot taller and weighed twice as much as I did, in a two on one match. For my size I was quite strong. The Curse enhanced my all my abilities. If I hadn’t been as strong, agile and had the stamina when I gained the Curse, I wouldn’t have been able to do what I did this morning.”

The identity of the thirteen men were verified as being those from Niger’s bodyguard. The governor accepted Fiach’s word that three known associates of the dead had been the three that became croc kibbles. The reward was paid and Fiach shared it with the grateful employees of Zamrab. Over the next few months Jarl dove into the operations of Corvus Scriptorium. He also met and fell in love with the Kamilah, Paki’s daughter. Fiach approved the marriage. When she returned to Rome, Jarl stayed in Alexandria as second of command Corvus Scriptorium under the manager, his father-in-law.

Fiach arrived back in Rome at the end of March, 206 switching back to his Raben identity. After reviewing the business he left for Barmaz in mid May. The family understood they may never see Jarl again but were glad he’d found a wife and a career. The Clan Corvo was growing and adapting well to life in the Alpine environs. In some ways the winter was harsher than what they’d experienced in Germany. While there was more snow the farms were prepared to endure and food was ready available from their flocks and herds. They no longer had to go out on hunting expeditions.

The archives were still in like new shape with no sign of water penetration. The sealed terra cotta document storage cases were in pristine condition. Raben returned to Rome before the passes closed for the winter.

Upon his return Raben found a summons to meet Emperor Severus. At the meeting in early December 206 Raben was complimented on his wife’s fighting ability and spirit. Then the leader of Rome said he’d like to meet her. Thinking fast, Raben said she was out of town but that as soon as she returned word would be sent.

Shortly after the new year, with a bit of plotting Raben set out on a ‘trip’ to Athens. A few days later Fiach ‘returned’ to Rome. Several days later she met the emperor for an evening meal.

She explained that her marriage to Raben was primarily one of convenience although they truly did care about each other. She explained they were nearly identical in size and skills. In addition due to their diminutive size and other physical impediments they were unable to have children. They were both driven to excel in the practice of medicine. Their fighting prowess had developed as a matter of self preservation. Unfortunately they also were too much alike and extend periods of togetherness ended up in arguments. “We meet as our paths cross, spend a day or three together, then go our separate ways. It’s very difficult to get us together.”

The upshot was the Emperor was planning a long term major military campaign for the spring of 208. He wanted Raben and Fiach to head his medical corps.

Fiach replied she was flattered and knew Raben would also be pleased. “The main issue is we don’t work well together. The way we work is nearly identical and our egos clash too much to work side by side. Perhaps we could share duties, alternate being in charge every month or so.”

The emperor nodded. “Wouldn’t that disrupt the organization and chain of command?”

“Not at all,” Fiach smiled. “As I said, our methodology is identical. We could even switch out mid surgery with no difference in outcome.”

“Very well,” Severus nodded. “Keep your schedules open from next March.”

On the first week of February of 207 Raben headed to Alexandria to check on Jarl and show HIS face to the staff on Zamrab. The visit was pleasant. Jarl was about to become a father and had easily slipped into position as second in command. Confident things were going well, at the end of March he set sail for Rome, arriving at the end of May.

In August Fiach then made a trip to Barmaz. There she reported on Jarl and learned his mother had died during the previous winter. This saddened her as once more it drove home the fact she had to watch those she loved grow old and die while she remained forever youthful. She returned to Rome in Mid October just before the snows closed the pass.

Raben mustered with the legions and auxiliaries at the end of February 208. He summoned the head physicians of each unit for a meeting in Coliseum in Rome as matches between gladiators were taking place. They gathered in an infirmary on the outside perimeter of the ground level. Needless to say they were not happy to have a non-military physician placed in overall medical charge. When they met Raben they were outraged that a barely teenager had been assigned as head physician assuming it was obviously a case of patronage. Disgruntled they kept their disgust to themselves afraid to risk raising the ire of the emperor.

“I know you think I’m young and not qualified. Although I don’t look it I’m forty seven years old.” Raben explained over the dampened noise of the crowds in the stands. “I grew up in Germania Magna training under my clan Corvo. Thirty three years ago a Roman civilian slave raiding party attacked three villages, killing many including my adopted mother. Many were captured and taken. I followed and once they camped and asleep I killed the sentries with a bow and arrow. Then I slipped in and cut the throats of those sleeping. I killed ninety eight in all. I spent the next twenty years as the clan’s Ianuarian. While I was doing an outstanding job, I was not satisfied. I trained a few replacements then crossed the border into Roman Territory. I’ve treated the emperor dozens of times since I first met him nearly thirteen years ago when I accompanied Galen. With my wife Fiach I’ve spent months in Athens consulting with Greek physicians. She spent three years in Alexandria and she has shared the knowledge she gained there with me. We’ve treated civilians as well as men wounded in battle. We’ve also killed men in battle. My wife is co-chief physician and will be joining us at some point on the expedition. We are well qualified physicians and equally deadly at fighting. The emperor is aware of her abilities and thus appointed her to share the position of chief physician with me. She looks as young as I do.”

The physicians clearly didn’t believe Raben. While they remained silent the expressions on their faces spoke volumes.

The door opened and four men carried in a wounded gladiator on a stretcher. Raben guided them to a table where they placed the injured man and left.

“I know you still doubt my medical skills so please watch,” Raben ordered.

An attendant stood by a smaller table that held supplies and Raben’s med kit. The man had deep cuts on his arm and leg. The forearm was cut to the bone.

Raben explained what he was doing as he did it. He first had the assistant administer mandrake root potion sedating the pain wracked man as Raben stuffed moss in the thigh wound and did a quick wrap with cloth to stop bleeding. Then he turned to the arm. The physicians intently watched as he cleaned the wound. They were amazed as he washed the wound with vinegar, then began the nearly impossible task of sewing the blood vessels and arteries back together. Then the tendons and muscles were reattached. Lastly the wound itself was closed and a splint put in place. Then he cleaned and repaired the cut on the gladiator’s thigh.

“That’s how I treat wounds,” Raben said as he looked over the amazed physicians. “Most of you would have amputated the arm. What I did saved the arm. With proper therapy he should be able to make a full recovery. I understand that when there are a lot of wounded you may not have time to do the meticulous work I demonstrated. You’re already aware that military physicians need to make decisions as to who you can save and who will die. At times, ending a man’s life is the best treatment. My adopted mother, the clan Ianuarian who raised and taught me, had been crucified by the slave raiders. I found her barely alive and could not get her down on my own. She told me that when death is unavoidable and the patient is suffering greatly, as it was in her case, in such circumstances helping a person die with dignity is better than prolonging their agonized life. I gave her a fatal dose of mandrake root. My wife and I do not feel this goes against our oath to do no harm because sometimes prolonging life is an agonized torment for a terminal patient. To end the unceasing pain by easing death in such cases is the best way to help a patient. As military physicians you have treated such patients. A quick painless death is sometimes a blessing when there is no hope for survival.”

The physicians didn’t reply as all had covertly eased unavoidable deaths.

“I recommend each medical unit recruit an older experienced physician who is no longer able to take the strain of battle medicine. Provide him with assistants. Their job will be to triage wounded as they come into the field hospital. The physician will decide who can be saved and who can’t BEFORE they reach the operating tables which will speed up your treatment. For those who can’t be saved, mandrake root can ease their death.”

“My wife and I will do our best not to step on your toes,” Raben assured the gathered physicians. “If we know of a better way to treat a patient we will suggest it and explain our reasons. We ask that you be open to our suggestions. By the same token, if you see a better way to do something, please tell us. We are always willing to expand our knowledge. Please remember, all physicians want the best outcome for their patients. The primary goal of the Imperial Medical Corps is to keep the soldiers fit for duty.”

The gathered physicians begrudgingly admitted Raben indeed had awesome medical skills and his ideas for a triage team made a lot of sense. While they still had difficulty believing his claim to be forty seven years old they begrudgingly accepted his appointment as head of the medical corps.

Severus decided to invade Caledonia (PD Scotland) since raids and attacks on Roman Britain were increasing. In 195 CE Albinus, then Governor of Britannia, led most of the legions in Britannia into Gaul during his revolt against Severus. They had suffered large casualties at the Battle of Lugdunum. The under strength defeated units were sent back to their posts after the defeat. This left the legions along Hadrian's Wall undermanned making it easy for the Caledonians to raid into Roman Britannia. The Caledonians were also able to gather more men for these raids than before due to increased cooperation among the different northern tribes.

The problems with Caledonia went back to the Roman invasion of Britannia. The natives resisted. Before he became the emperor Julius Caesar invaded Britannia in 55 BCE and again in 54 BCE but withdrew both times. In 43 CE Emperor Claudius ordered four legions to conquer Britannia. In 77 CE Agricola became the Roman Governor of Britannia completing the conquest of Wales and northern Britain. He earned a good reputation as an administrator and as a commander, by reforming the widely corrupt grain levy. He instituted what became standard Romanizing measures. First was to encourage communities to build towns on the Roman model. The second was that sons of conquered native nobles were ‘invited’ to relocate to Roman cities to be educated in the Roman manner. This provided hostages who when they returned home as adults had been Romanized and as nobles then moved their native customs toward Roman norms.

Agricola also expanded Roman rule north into Caledonia pushing his armies north into Caledonia to the Firth of Tay to establish forts. The Caledonian tribes and clans did not cooperate, so what resistance occurred was put up by small groups which were easily crushed. By 83 CE the Caledonians realized they had to unite to overcome the Romans. The Romans faced the massed Caledonians at the Battle of Mons Graupius. Eleven thousand Roman Auxiliaries with cavalry support decisively defeated a force of thirty thousand Caledonians. Battle casualties were estimated to be about ten thousand on the Caledonian side and a very lopsided three hundred sixty on the Roman. Even though the Caledonians decisively lost the battle, two thirds of their army managed to escape and hide in the Highlands or the "trackless wilds" as the Romans called them. Agricola’s forces established it’s northernmost camp at Crowder northeast of Inverness by the Moray Forth. In territories the Romans were unable to conquer and control they devastated the land destroying every village and farmstead while taking all crops and livestock. The ruthlessness crippled the ability of the Caledonians to organize attacks Roman Britain for a hundred years.

It was mid April 208 when Emperor Severus with his wife Julia Domna, son and co-emperor Caracalla, and youngest son Geta arrived in Britain with around forty thousand men. They immediately marched north to Hadrian's Wall. Raben rode north with the royal party.

Hadrian's Wall was a defensive fortification across the northern frontier of the province of Britannia. Begun in 122 during the reign of Emperor Hadrian, it was the northern limit of the Roman Empire. Immediately to the north were the lands of the Britons and Picts, the Caledonians. Hadrian's Wall built over six years, extending west from the River Tyne to the Solway Firth. Although the seventy three mile long wall did not mark the end of the line of defensive structures. A system of milecastles continued along the west coast. There were milecastles with two turrets in between. There was a fort about every five miles. The milecastles were staffed with static garrisons whereas the forts had fighting garrisons of infantry and cavalry. In addition to the wall's defensive military role, its gates served as customs posts.

Once at Hadrian's Wall, Severus initiated a massive rebuilding project which finally remade the whole wall into stone. This led to later Romans calling Hadrian's Wall the Severan Wall. After starting the renovation/rebuilding project Severus marched north.

The Caledonians and the population of Ireland were the only remaining free Celts. The Caledonian’s in the Scottish lowlands couldn’t stop the heavily armed Roman onslaught. For the most part they didn’t even try. Many fled further north. Those who traded with the Romans stayed in place accepting Roman domination... at least on the surface. That’s not to say it was entirely peaceful. While there were no battles, there were guerrilla actions, quick attacks from cover then scurrying away before the Romans could organize a response. The medical corps was kept busy but not overwhelmed. Raben had little cause to disturb the normal workings and procedures of the medical corps.

The aim of the initial push north was the long abandoned Antonine Wall. Started in 142 CE it had taken twelve years to build. Antoninus Pius never visited Britain but renewed pressure against Hadrian’s Wall forced him to send troops further north. They built the northernmost frontier barrier of the entire Roman Empire roughly ninety nine miles north of Hadrian’s Wall. It was a turf fortification on stone foundations built across the central belt of Scotland from the Firth of Clyde to the Firth of Forth. Spanning thirty nine miles it was about ten feet high and sixteen feet wide with a wooden pallisade on the turf top. Many forts and temporary camps further north of the Antonine Wall were established to protect their trade routes to the far north. However without more troops and support from Rome they were unable to defeat the Caledonians. As each year passed the Antonine Wall suffered more and more attacks. Emperor Marcus Aurelius finally had enough of the headaches holding the Antonine Wall he ordered the wall, the northern forts and camps abandoned just eight years after they had been completed.

The current campaign started well for the Romans with Severus quickly reaching the Antonine Wall occupying all the land between Hadrian's Wall and the Antonine Wall. After easily completing the occupation of the Scottish lowlands Severus began reconstruction of the Antonine Wall. Having met the Caledonian women in the newly occupied area Severus' wife, Julia Domna criticized the sexual morals of the Caledonian women. The wife of a Caledonian chief replied: "We fulfill the demands of nature in a much better way than do you Roman women; for we consort openly with the best men, whereas you let yourselves be debauched in secret by the vilest."

Raben traveled with the emperor’s party but spent most of his time interacting with the Caledonians. Accompanied by Romanized Caledonians, Raben traveled to various villages and settlements. The natives were initially suspicious of what they considered to be a gregarious teen. They were quickly impressed that he spoke Celtic fluently and had a Celtic heritage. Even more importantly, he never sought strategic knowledge. Medicinal knowledge was what he sought and freely shared. On many occasions he performed surgical operations on crippled children to correct their disabilities. His skill astounded the natives. In addition, he would often play tunes on his flute, his musical skills always warmly welcomed. In this way he easily earned the trust of the Caledonians. He also let them know his wife, an equally knowledgeable physician, would occasionally be traveling through the area.

While Raben never asked for information, by listening carefully and observing closely he was able to give valuable intelligence to the emperor and his commanders. Several times they had him listen in on interrogations of captured Caledonians to make sure the interrogator, usually a Romanized Celt, was accurate. Several translators were revealed to be disloyal to the Romans. Each were publicly executed by crucifixion. After the second execution the translations were reasonably accurate.

As the campaign season came to an end Severus built a one hundred sixty five acre camp south of the Antonine Wall at Trimontium near Melrose, assembling his forces there as winter set in. Just after the new year Julia Domna, concerned about the rivalry between her sons urged Severus to name Geta as Augustus, (basically a designated successor) which he did.

As the emperor and troops settled down for the winter, Raben announced he was heading south to meet Fiach. As Fiach she returned north to present herself to the royal party and military physicians. Begrudgingly most were impressed that she did indeed seem as young as Raben and shared his medical knowledge.

After the new year with two Romanized Caledonian escorts Fiach traveled about the recently secured areas visiting the locals and treating any who needed medical attention. She introduced herself as Raben’s wife and often played the flute like her husband. The Caledonian healers eagerly shared herbal lore and techniques with her as she shared her knowledge with them.

The free Caledonians decided kidnaping Fiach would be an effective slap in the Severus’ face. Twenty men set out to waylay the healer as she moved about the occupied areas. The twenty struck as Fiach and the villagers were eating their evening meal. With so many innocents about, Fiach decided to bide her time, she ordered her escorts not to resist and allowed herself to be taken. With the need for stealth and speed, the kidnappers didn’t search nor secure her as she seemed to be meekly follow their orders and they needed her to move quickly as they fled from Roman territory.

During the next twenty four hours Fiach allowed herself to be taken north to the River Forth where they crossed the river under cover of darkness. Over the next twenty four hours she was wisked northwest along the River Teith into the rugged mountains.

The Romans had painfully learned not to venture into the steep mountains to pursue the untamed Caledonians. The forests provided cover and the steep slopes further disrupted military formations. To prevent the Caledonians from raiding from their mountain and loch strongholds the Romans built forts at the exit points where the highlands emptied into the lowlands. One such place was at the start of the River Teith with the convergence of Eas Gobhain from Loch Venachar and Garbh Usige from Loch Lubnaig. They built a fort the Romans called Bochastle.

As the Caledonians with Fiach neared the highlands they had to send out scouts to avoid Roman patrols. Knowing the wilds they easily evaded Roman patrols and the fort to head around Loch Lubnaig. As they traveled the forested trail on the nearly level but narrow east shore of the loch the steep wooded mountains soared thirteen hundred feet above them. On the western side the slopes were steeper soaring to over sixteen hundred feet. Many small streams cascaded down the steep slopes. About halfway along it’s length the loch made a dogleg turn and they were on the outside of the turn which focused the descending streams into one in a climbing narrow canyon. This created a five hundred feet wide by one thousand feet long delta cutting the width of the lock in half at that point creating a perfect gathering spot. The small party joined a much larger group of Caledonians in the large clearing by the water.

The gathered clan headsmen had a hard time believing the captive young girl could really be a healer much less one of importance. They grew angry that the abductors had risked the ire of the Romans for an inconsequential girl. Angry arguing erupted among the dozen different clan representatives. At that point Fiach began heartily laughing which angered the glowering men.

“You’re pitiful fools,” she chuckled. “No wonder you can’t stop the Romans!”

“Quiet bitch,” an angry warrior snarled.

“Like hell, ass wipe,” Fiach laughed. “I ALLOWED your men to take me just to see what you intended to do with me. Emperor Severus appointed my husband and I to head up the medical corp of the Legions because not only are we excellent physicians, we are also excellent fighters. I could have easily wiped out the men who think they kidnaped me.”

Another angry man asked brusquely, “Why didn’t you do it then?”

“It wasn’t enough a challenge,” Fiach smirked. “Besides. I can kill more of you now.”

The men exchanged angry glances as they tried to decide if the small girl was crazy.

Reaching inside her cape with both hands Fiach laughed as she whipped out a knife in each as she sprang into motion. Before anyone could react she’d slit the throats of the two men who were ostensibly guarding her. Before the stunned gaze of the two hundred five remaining Caledonians she leaped between two more men cutting their throats. One hand slipped back inside her cape to exchange a knife for her sword as the remaining knife gutted another man. Even as the Caledonian warriors drew their weapons she danced amongst them heading for the steep canyon slope dropping six more men. Along the way she snagged a bow and two quivers hanging on trees before sprinting into the trees.

The encampment was in an uproar as a furious group of men began to chase the laughing girl. In their disorganized yelling mob they tripped over each other, shoving and yelling obscenities at each other and the still laughing fleeing girl.

With her agility and speed Fiach easily outdistanced her pursuers as she leapt from boulder to boulder in the stream moving through the trees while scrambling up the increasingly steep slope while leaving little evidence of her passing. By the time she was a hundred feet up the slope deeply amongst the trees her pursuers lost sight of her.

The Caledonians couldn’t believe the girl was armed mush less that she’d killed or fatally injured eleven warriors in less than two minutes and disappeared up the mountain. Ninety men were pursuing the fleet footed girl. Not one of them snatched a bow as they charged. The headsman quickly organized seventy warriors to run along the loch toward the Roman fort to cut off her path to freedom. These men took shields and bows.

Fiach easily outdistanced her angry pursuers. At about three hundred feet upslope she cut west away from the nearby Roman fort. After she’d emerged from the canyon she quickly descended back to the treeline by the loch. Staying in the trees she made her way back to the encampment. Only the heads of the clans and a small bodyguard remained, thirty six men in all. The warriors she’d wounded had died by the time she returned since the bodyguards were placing the eleven bodies side by side at one side of the camp. The leaders were hotly arguing bout the Roman invaders and Fiach.

Silently she made her way into the fringes of the camp to pilfer more arrow filled quivers. Then she moved about the perimeter of the camp stalking any man who stepped away from the group into the trees. With deadly shots she dropped three before those remaining realized something wasn’t right. They called the names of the men who disappeared. After getting no response they sent out a five man search party. They quickly slipped from view of the main group. Fiach stalked them until they discovered one of the missing men down with an arrow in his chest.

“We found Serack! There’s an arrow in his chest! He’s dead,” they called out the alarm as an arrow struck one of the searchers who promptly gasped clutching at his back as he dropped to his knees.

Before the others could fully react another was hit. As he dropped the remaining three bolted heading back to the safety of the group shouting “We’re under attack!”

As the three burst from the trees another fell forward with a arrow protruding from his back. As the gathered men scrambled for shields another of those fleeing from the trees dropped. The remaining man was in a near panic as he reached the group only to pitch forward with an arrow feathering his back.

The men scrambled to form a shield wall but another man dropped before they came together. What was worse, other than knowing the arrows were coming from the tree line they only had a general idea where the archer was located. As they crowded together peaking between their shields attempting to spy the archer they heard the unmistakable laughter of the girl!

“That’s another nine dead,” Fiach giggled. “That’s a total of twenty, the same number as the men who I allowed to kidnap me! I told you I didn’t kill them because I wanted to kill more of you! Now I can!”

After firing another arrow into their shields she darted into view snatching two more quivers from where they hung. The furious men cursed as she insolently waved to them before disappearing back into the trees. Quickly and silently she ran off to flank the shield wall. When she was behind them she fired four arrows in less than a minute.

The anxious men were wondering what type of a she devil they’d brought into their midst as they nervously searched the treeline. They decided to shift to the nearest place in the camp where several bows and quivers hung. By the time they were half way to the bows one man grunted, threw up his arms and pitched forward. The surprised men had barely reacted to the dying man when a second man pitched forward. Even as they turned to see where the arrows were coming from a third man fell. The action of turning saved the fourth man as the arrow pierced his sword arm. The men cursed and struggled to reform their shield wall a little too late as another man dropped with an arrow buried in his chest.

“That’s four more dead and one wounded,” Fiach giggled from the trees as she fired another arrow into their shields before slipping away.

“We need to close with her,” one of the leaders scowled, “She’ll keep moving until she picks us all off.”

“She wants us in the trees so she can pick us off easier,” another growled. “Form a circular shield wall, retrieve bows and arrows, then move to the water’s edge where she can’t flank us.”

As they snagged bows and arrows one man grabbed a ram’s horn. The men were soon standing behind their shield wall by the water where the man blew the horn to recall their men. The sound reverberated off the forested hills. Four miles away the Romans manning the fort at Bochastle didn’t hear a thing.

The disorganized weary warriors climbing the slopes quickly tired. Having lost sight of their quarry they organized into three groups of thirty. One continued up the canyon stream as the other two moved sideways to each side of the canyon. The weary men had nearly reached the ridge top when they heard the recall. Several grumbled but all heeded the call to return. The men following the shore were a bit past the end of the loch. They too heard the recall. Assuming the men who chased the she-devil up the mountain caught her, they turned back.

Scampering up the canyon stalking the initial pursuers, Fiach heard the recall horn. Knowing they would follow the easiest paths she moved between the center and western groups while continuing to climb upward. When she heard them approaching she hid behind the trees. Once they passed she made her way into the center of the canyon above and behind the group following the stream down to the loch. Aiming at the man at the rear of column she loosed an arrow. The noise of their descent masked the man’s grunt and collapse. One by one she dropped the rear man.

It was only as the fifth man dropped the others realized they were under attack. They shouted an alarm and scrambled for cover searching to find their attacker. The other groups began converging on the one under attack. In their haste their approach was anything but silent. Fiach dropped another man before she slipped away uphill away from the noisy men heading to the stream. When she was above them she waited for them to gather.

It took fifteen minutes for the groups to unite. They uneasily watched the trees while others made crude sledges from fallen limbs to drag their dead off the slopes. As soon as they began to move downhill arrows once more cut into them. Angry shouts and cursing erupted as three men dropped. Nearly thirty men charged up the slope towards the area the arrows had come from. They found nothing.

After loosing the third arrow Fiach scampered up the mountainside fifty feet hearing the angry shouts and noisy pursuit behind her. She then scampered right a hundred feet before she skipped downslope at a nearly impassible spot. Within minutes she was hidden in the rocks below the men with an escape route plotted.

As the regrouped angry frustrated men made their way downhill beside the stream they kept a close watch on the trees around and above them while now carrying nine dead or fatally wounded men. They were once more caught by surprise as one of the men in front grunted. They could see the point of the arrow protruding from his back as he dropped. Even as they shouted alarm that the bitch was downhill another man dropped as he clawed at the arrow that suddenly appeared in his chest. They saw their quarry stand boldly laughing at them as she fit another arrow to her bow. Infuriated, forty five men let out undulating war cries as they launched themselves towards her as that arrow dropped another man. Before they got near she disappeared into the trees. Their headlong downhill charge was chaotic and unsafe as they cut across the slope heading in the direction she had run. Nearly a dozen men tripped or slipped crashing into rocks or trees, three breaking bones.

Fiach had allowed herself to be seen fleeing. In reality once she slipped out of sight she slipped the bow onto her back and climbed a tree allowing the wild charge to pass. With practiced ease she dropped to the ground pulling her sword and dagger. One by one she scampered to the men who had fallen easily killing the bruised, stunned and injured men. With well aimed strikes she killed six as she darted toward the men who had not pursued her.

The thirty three men who had not charged began gathering their twelve dead and dying as the others crashed after the she devil. The noise from their pell-mell charge masked all other sounds. It was only when Fiach struck that they realized they were endangered.

Using her stealth and speed Fiach danced through the scattered men slicing and dicing. By the time she disappeared into the trees above them five of their number were dead or dying. Cursing they bellowed their frustration. As several set off in pursuit one man called them to stay shouting she wanted to split them up so she could pick them off. It took over fifteen minutes for those who had chased her downhill to returned. Of the ninety warriors who initially pursued her up the canyon, twenty three were dead or dying. They were clearly furious the small girl was making fools of them. Wisely they formed a perimeter and waited.

Knowing she had pressed her luck Fiach scampered up hill then headed east before heading down the slope. Because of her strength and endurance she was not yet fatigued. She once more headed down towards the loch intending to hit the warriors returning along the shore.

The seventy were moving along the water’s edge about a mile from their encampment when they noticed the group of men standing in a shield wall with their backs toward the sparkling deep blue water. Their relaxed attitude quickly changed to wariness as they drew their swords. It was only when they looked behind them they saw four of their comrades laying face down in a line with arrows protruding from their backs. As the alarm was raised a man gasped and clawed at the arrow quivering in his chest. Fifteen men snatched their bows and arrows were nocked while others moved behind their shields. No one had seen where the arrow came from. As they scrutinized the trees one of the bowman grunted and dropped to his knees. They narrowed the location but still had not pinpointed their attacker. The archers fired into the trees in that area. Even as they nocked more arrows another archer dropped.

As the second volley flew into the trees the remaining men divided into two groups of twenty five. With shields forward and swords drawn they charged into either side of the area the last volley struck. Other that their arrows stuck in trees they found nothing. As they continued to sweep the forest they couldn’t even find a trace anyone had been in the trees. The thirteen archers spread out along the shore searching the trees. One spun about dropping his bow as he tumbled to the ground. The others spun to look to the trees a hundred feet beyond where the warriors had dashed into the trees. Even as they shouted the alarm another fell. They loosed a volley in the direction from which the arrow had come only to have another man drop as the warriors came crashing from the trees. One of them staggered and fell as the archers fired another volley into the trees. Infuriated the warriors bellowed as they charged.

Fiach just ducked behind a trunk as the arrows struck all around her. Wisely she sprinted away quickly sprinting up the steep slope of the mountain. The sound of the warriors crashing through the trees where she’d been she turned to run parallel to the water. Going in the opposite direction she quickly passed above the men pursuing her. Returning to the shore she stepped from the trees to fire into the warriors probing the treeline. “Are you looking for little old me?” She giggled as she rapidly dropped three before the shocked men were able to respond. Even as the archers targeted her she ran into the trees.

The twenty men kept a close watch on the forest as the others gathered their thirteen dead and dying. Staying together while hugging the tree line with four man shield walls protecting the front and rear
of their column. Two men carried each of the fallen as the remaining twenty one men formed an armed line beside those carrying the casualties.

The men on the beach maneuvered their shield wall to meet the warriors cautiously advancing toward them along the beach. After merging the group moved to place their dead beside the first dead. They were about to begin moving to gather the scattered dead sprawled about the encampment when they heard the approaching noise of the men returning down the canyon. In a few minutes those men emerged from the trees carrying their casualties.

The one hundred forty seven men organized themselves into a corp of forty archers with forty armed warriors guarding the tree line. The one wounded man stayed with the archers. The sixty six remaining men divided into two groups of thirty three. Twenty one formed an armed guard while the remaining twelve were casualty porters. The two groups gathered up the dead scattered about the camp. An hour later their sixty dead were lying in a long row. It had been an hour and a half since Fiach had disappeared into the trees. The men had exchanged their stories of how the small she-devil had struck them down. If they hadn’t experienced her hit and run tactics they would have found their shared stories some sort of fanciful bogey man tales.

Darkness was falling as they nervously waited. They knew trying to chase her down was as frustrating and useless as trying to catch your shadow. But at least chasing your shadow wasn’t fatal. The spooked men huddled together all through the night. They no longer doubted the she-devil’s claim that she hadn’t killed her kidnapers because killing twenty men wasn’t enough. She’d killed three times that many. The clan leaders decided to fade into the hills and avoid further kidnaping.

When she slipped into the trees after her last kill Fiach realized she was close to crossing the line into taking pleasure from death. She’d taken out sixty men. The giggling had started out as an effective tactic to unsettle the men. She didn’t like killing but realized it produced a dangerous addicting adrenalin high. The fact the Caledonians were using terroristic methods greatly disturbed her. The Romans were invading their homeland and the Caledonians had no hope to win in open battle. Killing from ambush was their only recourse. She had hoped to give them a taste of their own bitter medicine thus discouraging guerrilla warfare to get them to the bargaining table to end the war.

The sun was setting as a lookout in one of the watchtowers called out an alarm as he saw a girl with a bow and several quivers slung across her back skipping out of the forest into the cleared areas outside the fort. The walls were soon manned with troops peering in all directions fearing the girl was merely a distraction, a prelude to an attack.

“Halt and identify yourself,” The decanus bellowed.

“I’m Fiach Corvo, co-head physician of the legions with Emperor Severus along with my husband Raben. I was kidnaped three days ago by Caledonian raiders. They brought me to a camp where the head leaders from a dozen clans had gathered. That camp is just four miles north of here on the shore of the loch. I escaped killing sixty of them in the process.”

The men clearly didn’t believe her. “Drop your weapons and advance.”

“Like hell,” Fiach replied. “If you won’t let me in the fort, I’ll just head back to the Antonine Wall. I’m sure the Emperor will be pleased when he hears of your hospitality.” With that Fiach proceeded to bypass the fort.

The Centurion sent out a squad to intercept the girl but she disappeared into the trees before they could get to her. With the failing light they returned to the fort. The Centurion was upset, he had heard fantastic tales about Fiach and Raben. What if she had killed sixty Caledonians? Unsure he doubled the guard just in case there were Caledonians nearby.

Fiach waited until darkness fell, then she slipped through the darkness easily approaching the fort undetected. Stealthily she slipped over the walls.

The Centurion awoke in the morning to find a knife at his throat. The normal foggy early morning thoughts quickly came into focus. Swallowing nervously he stayed still.

“Good morning,” Fiach smiled as she withdrew the knife. “I could have wiped out your garrison as you slept. But since we’re on the same side I spared you.”

The men were amazed to see the Centurion emerge from his quarters accompanied by Fiach to call assembly. There he asked each to check their bunks to see if there was a pine twig with still fresh needles in their blankets and if so to bring it back to the formation. Each man returned with a pine twig in their hand. They blanched when Fiach told them she’d slipped into the fort undetected and went through the barracks placing the twigs.

“I could just as easily slit your throats,” Fiach added as she slipped the bow from her back. In seconds she began firing arrows into all the watchtowers striking the upright logs holding the roof. “I could have taken out all the men on guard duty. I could have wiped out this entire fort. Do not doubt me when I say I killed sixty Caledonians yesterday.”

After eating breakfast, Fiach borrowed a horse to accompany the dispatch squad as they returned to the Antonine Wall.

Two days later Fiach joined the main Roman encampment after having retrieved her gear from where she’d been kidnaped. Her report was enlightening. Everyone noted the Caledonians stopped raiding.

Just because the season for campaigning ended didn’t mean the soldiers had been idle. In addition to continuing the rebuilding the Antonine Wall Severus had them rebuild and garrison the abandoned Roman coastal forts south of the Antonine Wall. East of Edinburgh was Musselburgh and in the west was Outerwards on the hilltop south of Gourock and Lurg Moor on the hilltop south of Greenock, all three of which served as naval resupply bases to the Wall itself.

In the spring of 209 Severus with his army thrust north from the Antonine Wall into the hilly area between the highlands and the flatter eastern coastal areas. They avoided going into the steep valleys of the Highlands since they were ideal for ambush attacks. As they advanced they hit many difficulties while cutting through forests, building up roadways through swamps and bridging rivers. The many streams, swamps and peat bogs caused great suffering to the Romans as they traveled. Again there were no pitched battles. However the Caledonians didn’t sit idly by and let the Romans have their way. They often purposely put a few ‘stray’ sheep or cattle in front of the soldiers. The strategy was for them to seize the animals and be lured still further until they were worn out and scattered at which point they would be attacked. It situation became so dire fighters on both sides unable to keep up with their comrades would be slain by their own men in order to avoid capture. Thousands of men died due to the guerrilla tactics used by the Caledonians. Fiach was frustrated. She had hoped her deadly actions while kidnaped would have served to discourage the Caledonians.

Severus persisted in his northern advance until he approached the extremity of the island. As the weather turned colder they settled into the forts for the winter. Raben, who ‘switched’ identities with Fiach every month or so, now stuck close to the emperor. The rough life of a soldier and his age began taking it’s toll on the aging Emperor. Severus could no longer ride a horse for long periods during a march. Reluctantly and at Raben’s insistence, Emperor Severus moved about on a litter. Since they were so far north, Raben and many educated Romans accurately observed the variation of the sun's motion and the length of the days and the nights in summer and winter respectively.

In the spring of 210 Severus ordered another campaign within northern Caledonia. His ever worsening physical infirmaries left him frustrated and angry. Unfortunately he chose not to follow Fiach or Raben’s medical advice. It wasn’t long until he could no longer ride and had to be conveyed by litter everywhere he went. Angered by his infirmities he became intent on exterminating the frustrating Caledonians, ordering his soldiers to kill every male even if it be a babe in the womb of the mother. Caracalla led a punitive expedition north of the Antonine wall with the intention of killing everyone he came across and looting or burning everything of value. However as he pushed north into the highlands, like every previous invasion, he too became bogged down in a guerrilla war and was never able to fully subjugate Caledonia.

With the cooperation of a greatly concerned Julia Domna, Raben finally convinced Severus to return to Eboracum (PD York) to rest and rehabilitate. Raben and Julia escorted the litter bound Severus south beyond all areas of contention to the city. The plan was that once he recovered, Severus would follow his son's army and permanently occupy all of Caledonia. Caracalla’s vicious tactics led to many of the Caledonian tribes to attempt reach a peace agreement with Severus because of fear of extinction through Roman genocide. The peace talks failed and it looked as if the war would continue until all the tribes had submitted to Rome or been exterminated.

Despite Raben’s best efforts, on February 4, 211 Emperor Severus died at age sixty five. Before his death he gave final advice to his sons: "Be harmonious, enrich the soldiers, and scorn all other men.”

Caracalla and Geta, with their mother returned to Rome with Severus’ body. Raben accompanied the imperial entourage but wisely stayed away from any controversy or taking sides in the burgeoning rivalry between the brothers. The time Raben spent in Caledonia had shown him more than enough of the cutthroat Roman politics and Imperial intrigue. He made a vow to himself to avoid politics as much as possible. Without fanfare he quietly and officially disentangled himself from the imperial drama when they were half way across Gaul to quietly make his way to Barmaz.

While Raben was gone the elderly patriarch of the Bricius family died during January of 211. Without him his wife died six weeks later. Barmaz was populated only by the Clan Corvo. Raben spent late spring through early fall at Barmaz unwinding from the stress of being part of the imperial retinue. That most of the Clan Corvo easily slipped into their roles as Alpine farmers and herders of the enlarged Barmaz pleased him. They had learned to read the skies to predict the weather. The hidden tunnels and the archives in Barmaz maintained their water free environment while continuing to accumulate written knowledge.

Raben traveled back to Rome to spend late fall and winter in Rome at Mazbar. He was saddened to learn Ulixis had died at age sixty in 210 and his wife, Quinta passed on at age sixty two just months before his return. The wily faux youth made sure to keep a low profile in Imperial Rome as he traveled about treating patients.

The mutual animosity of the imperial brothers only grew after the senate confirmed their dual Emperorship. On December 19, 211 Caracalla arranged a peace meeting in his mother’s apartment. He had his personal body guards kill Geta who died in his mother’s arms making Caracalla the sole Emperor of the Roman Empire. Unlike many others who had been prominently involved in Severus’ Reign, Raben was all too aware of the danger. Geta's inner circle of advisers, friends, guards, military staff and their families, about 20,000 people, were rounded up and executed with their possessions forfeited to the emperor. To keep the military on his side Caracalla increased the annual pay of an average legionary by nearly fifty percent. To increase the loyalty of the military and to placate those outside of Italy Caracalla issued a proclamation, the Edict of Caracalla, in which all free men living within the borders of the Roman Empire were granted full Roman citizenship. This led to even further weakening of the power of the original citizens of Rome while emptying the Imperial coffers. The benefit was that as citizens, they were now subjected to all imperial taxes.

Instead of living in the public eye, Raben wisely opted for the quiet life of an upper middle class businessman and physician. Living a comfortable non-extravagant lifestyle he studiously avoided the spotlight while still being true to his Ianuarian roots. The wise fifty year old planned to spend the vast majority of his time staying at or traveling between Barmaz, Mazbar, and Zamrab to ensure the farms, the hidden archives and the two locations of Corvus Scriptorium stayed true to their goals and avoided political controversy while maintaining high quality standards. One change he decided to make was to add artists to each scriptorium staff who would make accurate drawings, portraits and maps of people, buildings, monuments, important sites and landscapes.

Both Corvus Scriptorium locations were in centers of learning and knowledge that naturally attracted struggling artists. Harl lined up struggling artists for interviews with Raben asking them to bring a portfolio. Those that showed promising aptitude were put on a retainer paying enough for basic living expenses which they greatly appreciated. As appropriate for their talents they were sent out to sketch people, events, monuments, buildings and landscapes while getting basic measurements as well as making maps for accurate locations. Those who did portraits made sketches of people as well as full color drawings of animals, fish, birds and plants. Raben reviewed the drawings paying according to the quality and originality. Many drawings were copied and compiled into codexes and folios for sale to scholars and the wealthy while the originals went to the Barmaz archives.

Shortly after arriving in Rome, Raben discovered an opportunity to buy a bankrupt contracting and demolition business. At the southern end of the west slope of the toe ending the Mons Vaticanus ridge was an abandoned stone quarry {GM 41.903962, 12.439541}. The quarry had been cut into the slope from the top down. It was cut 250 feet into the slope and was 250 feet wide. From the top of the hill it was cut down 140 feet ending above the valley. The quarry would be home for the new business venture, Corvus Construction hiring many of the workers from the filed business. The business would do demolition work for remodeling and total tear downs throughout the region as well as hauling away the debris while salvaging whatever they could. They quickly accumulated roofing tiles, bricks, cut stones and lumber as well as decorative fixtures and furniture. The business took off making money from the demolition as well as the resale of the salvaged material. Anything that was unique or of high quality they moved into temporary storage at Mazbar.

The plans called for the quarry to be reopened. Over a distance of 500 feet the valley floor rose from it’s low point of 175 feet ASL to 240 feet ASL at the toe. The base of the quarry was 25 feet above that point. The plans called for the valley floor to be leveled at 175 feet ASL for the 500 feet away from the base of the toe and into the former quarry which meant the current floor of the quarry would be lowered 85 feet with the exception of a strip of 25 feet on the north, east and south sides. This meant an area 225 feet east/west and 200 feet north/south would be removed. Then 5 feet of crushed rock would be laid over everything to act as a huge French Drain. In the quarry four floors of ten east/west tunnels per floor would be constructed. The tunnels would be 13 feet wide with walls 7 feet thick, 3 feet thick on the outer walls of the two outer tunnels. Each arched roof would be 3 feet thick and 15 feet high in the center with sidewalls 8 feet high. Above that would be 2 feet of compacted fill resulting in each floor being 20 feet high. Every 50 feet arched access tunnels 5 feet wide with a center height of 12 feet would connect the tunnels of each level.

When completed the area atop the tunnels would be at 260 feet ASL. At that level U a shaped fifteen story brick building would be built atop the unexcavated 25 feet wide north, east and south sides against and anchored into the quarry walls. The 1st floor would be 18 feet high for businesses and all subsequent floors 10 feet high for residential apartments. The outside walls of the top floor would project 8 feet above the top of the toe while the inside walls would be 14¼ feet above to create a 1:4 slope tile roof. The blind corners would be for 6 feet wide stairs which would continue down to connect the four levels of tunnels. There would be a 13 feet square open space in the center of the stairwell to allow heavy or bulky items to be raised and lowered. A four switchback 15 feet wide road would be built in front of the tunnels. Each ramp would rise 20 feet over the a distance of 200 feet. The 1st ramp would be 60 feet out rising to 200 feet ASL, the 2nd would beout 45 feet rising to 220 feet ASL, the 3rd would be 30 feet our rising to 240 feet ASL and the 4th would be 15 feet out rising to 260 feet ASL. Where possible the tunnels would extend under the switchbacks.

In mid march 212 CE Raben sailed to Alexandria to visit Zamrab. Just as he had done in Mazbar, he had instituted the recruitment of street urchins to become apprentice scribes. Zambar had become the most sought after source of scrolls and codexes in Egypt. Just like Mazbar the profits were rolling in. While in Alexandria Raben searched for artists to add to the Corvus Scriptorium staff. These he dispatched to measure, map, sketch, and paint antiquities in Egypt and the Palestine. He also told his people to search out Egyptian and Persian documents in their original languages and forward them to Rome then to Barmaz where he would personally translate them. His Curse granted language abilities applied to written documents.

The attitude of the city’s elite disturbed Raben. They publicly disdained Caracalla. Having witnessed the execution of Geta and his followers he made sure the staff at Zamrab scrupulously avoided any hint of displeasure with the emperor. After spending a month he set sail back to Mazbar at the end of April, arriving at the end of June. After two weeks he accompanied the next mule train to Barmaz for the twenty four day trip arriving in Barmaz at the end of the first week of August. The rest of the summer was spent with his family in the safe and relaxing alpine environs.

The traveling routine repeated the next year. The income from the already extremely profitable Corvus Scriptoriums nearly doubled with the addition of the drawings and paintings of the artists. Raben wisely secreted large amounts of gold and silver coins, primarily at Barmaz.

By 213 Caracalla withdrew the legions from the territory taken during the Caledonian campaign to Hadrian's Wall in 213. Hadrian's Wall once again became the northern border of Roman Britain. The Caledonian tribes had been so weakened it would take many years for them to recover their strength and begin raiding in strength. The Romans never campaigned deep into Caledonia again.

While Raben’s family was safe and snug at Barmaz the Germanic/Celtic Hermunduri tribe of which they had been members was crumbling due to ever increasing pressure from other Germanic tribes being forced west. The Hermunduri themselves had moved into the area where Raben had been born only two hundred years before. The competition for land was increasing every year. Raids and skirmishes between those living in settlements and those trying to move into the area became increasingly frequent and bloodier. Their homes in Germania Magna were being overrun. Some of Raben’s clanspeople left behind had been killed or taken as slaves by the invaders. Many young women were taken as wives by the invaders. Others fled across the border seeking asylum in Roman territory. The Romans allowed the refuges in but required them to settle in separate areas to avoid possible future problems. The Corvo family were quite aware that Raben had saved them by leading the family to Barmaz. Their birth clan was thoroughly dispersed with no hope of ever reforming. Their family was the largest surviving cohesive unit of their former clan.

Caracalla left Rome in 213 CE never to return. First he headed north into Raetia to stop the Germanic tribes who had by then broken through the Roman border Forts. When Raben returned to Mazbar that fall he brought a sixteen year old niece with him. She stayed with her uncle Harl. She and one of Ulixes’ step-grandchildren quickly fell in love. By the time Raben returned from Zamrab the construction was completed at the quarry site of Corvus Construction. All the employees of Corvus Scriptorium and Corvus Construction were now able to live in Mazbar The young couple married and Raben had them settle in an apartment at the quarry with the young man working for the enterprise.

The summer of 214 CE saw Caracalla push the invading Germanic tribes back across the line of border forts. Fortunately the tribes invasion had not been a massive horde but by clans. There had been no huge battles but much like in Caledonia multiple skirmishes. With the fighting over negotiating peace began. Raben spent the summer in Barmaz and as he returned to Mazbar in the mid-September a sixteen year old nephew accompanied him. In Rome the young man was amazed by the buildings and grandeur. The youth tried working at the scriptorium and the demolition and construction businesses. The scriptorium interested him but he felt out of place. In December the teen accompanied Raben on the voyage to Alexandria. As soon as he saw the younger sister of Jarl’s wife he fell in love. The last week of January just before Raben returned to Rome, the young couple married.

By the spring of 215 CE Caracalla had strengthened the forts and made peace with the Germanic tribes that would last eighteen years. At the end of April as Raben’s made his trip to Barmaz he encountered the Imperial retinue as it headed to Ravenna. Caracalla insisted Raben share an evening meal as they reminisced about the Caledonian campaign. After the emperor explained he’d killed his brother in self defense he bragged about heading east to conquer the Parthians thus claiming for Rome the lands Alexander the Great once conquered. It quickly became evident Caracalla was megalomanic, much more so than in the past, to the point he was styling himself as Alexander the Great reincarnated. Needless to say Raben was extremely careful to avoid military and political topics.

As soon as Raben reached Barmaz he switched to his feminine identity. As usual when in Barmaz he lived in the Elder House. While he normally spent time as Fiach to accustom his extended family to his role switching this time he spent virtually the entire summer as feminine self. The encounter with the increasingly unbalanced emperor shook his normally cool demeanor. Over the years he’d realized that while being Raben, he felt compelled to prove his masculinity. It was much easier to recenter himself and relax while living as Fiach. Being his girly alter ego didn’t interfere with his daily training regime, time well spent maintaining his martial skills.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 18: 216 CE: Libyan Desert Adventure

In the fall Raben returned to Mazbar with a seventeen year old niece. There she fell in love with another young man, a step-grandson of Ulixes. They married the day before Raben sailed to Zamrab at the beginning of December. The reception he received from the Alexandrian Corvus Scriptorium staff was one of utter gratitude for warning them to avoid politics of any sort. They quickly explained what happened when Caracalla had landed a month before in Alexandria.

Someone had written a satire mocking Caracalla’s claim he killed his brother in self-defense as well as his pretensions of being Alexander the Great. The elite of Alexandria laughed. After leaving Ravenna with his troops Caracalla traveled to Alexandria on his way to Parthia. Upon landing the prominent citizens and governor greeted him at the docks. Having learned about the disrespectful satire, he responded by slaughtering the deputation of leading citizens. Then for two days he allowed his troops to loot and plunder the city. Following the massacre in Alexandria, Caracalla moved east into Armenia. Situated in the lake, Zamrab was the only area of the City that was spared deprivation.

In March 216 Raben boarded ship to return to Rome. Nine days out the sky clouded over, the winds dramatically increased and the waves grew. As the afternoon faded into night the full force of the storm struck. The ship was tossed about and waves crashed over sides. The passengers clung to the sturdiest part of the ship they could as they were tossed about by the capricious waves. The crew stayed at their stations trying to keep the bow turned into the waves so they wouldn’t be swamped while others desperately operated the pumps. Several times the ship almost turned over, the side rail dipping into the churning water before bobbing upright.

A young man near Raben was hysterical and screaming. With each wave breaking over the ship the salty water smashed into his face and open mouth, usually causing him to swallow and/or inhale the fluid. Raben unsuccessfully did his best to talk the horrified man down. Finally a wave forced the choking man, gasping for breath, to lose his grip on the rail. As the water swept him away Raben grabbed a flailing arm as he went over the side. To do so Raben had to loosen his grasp, trying to maintain a tenuous hold with his legs. The panicked man, fully over the side, desperately grasped his savior tying up Raben’s arms. Another wave broke over the ship dragging both over the side.

The man sank pulling Raben down with his death grip. It took nearly two minutes for the man to die. Only then was he able to free himself from the man’s frozen death grasp. Raben swam for the surface shedding most of his sodden clothes. When he burst into the air he took a deep breath. There was no sign of the ship. He knew he survived only because of the Curse. Instead of trying to swim, he conserved his strength by floating while tossed and swept about like a human cork in the tempest swept seas.

By the time the storm passed on, Raben was exhausted. As dawn brightened the sky Raben could see nothing but water. Knowing that an average day’s sailing was fifty miles he estimated they’d
traveled four hundred fifty miles which would have put them off the African coast near Derna. With the sun rising in the east he began to swim south at a slow but sustainable pace. Periodically he’d stop swimming to float and take cat naps. At night he floated unless, judging by the stars and moon, he was confident of proceeding south.

When his thirst grew too great he sparingly drank the salty sea water. Although the taste nearly gagged him he drank to keep his body hydrated hoping the Curse would treat it like a poison allowing the harmful portions to pass through his system. The salt didn’t quench his thirst, in fact it aggravated that situation. However it did keep him from totally dehydrating. The Curse also enabled him to endure the sixty eight degree water temperature.

For three days and four nights he’d been heading south. Already past exhaustion, Raben floated in the fairly calm Mediterranean waters, his mind in a meditative trance. At first he didn’t notice the sounds changing. Slowly the sound grew louder until it roused him from his resuscitative meditation. It took a few moments for his mind to fully engage. Turning to the sounds he saw land! The sound was small waves swishing against the sandy rock strewn shore. At once he began swimming but quickly realized he was too exhausted to expend a lot of energy. Too much and he wouldn’t have enough left to crawl from the water. Instead he simply floated, gently guiding himself shoreward.

It was mid morning when he felt the cresting waves lift him, shoving towards the shore in a sort of primitive body surfing. Finally, as the current wave he was riding broke he felt his skin grind against sand. Putting his arms down he barely had enough strength to look at the rocky shore and the high cliffs. The next breaking wave shoved him further up the rough shore. Expending the last of his energy he crawled from the water collapsing a few feet out of the waves. {GM 32.636937, 23.098643 Libyan coast in the Derna district.}

Several hours later he awoke. Again thanks to his Curse, the rest had slightly re-energized him. Slowly he pushed himself upright until he stood on wobbly legs. Looking about he saw a rocky shore with a gravel and rock shelf beach varying between ten to twenty feet deep. The rock cliffs were nearly vertical between fifteen to twenty five feet high. If he was in good shape he could have climbed them with ease, now, attempting do so was impractical. With a sigh he looked east and west along the coast trying to decide which way he should travel hoping to find a way inland. Unfortunately the shore was too jagged to see more than a quarter mile in either direction.

Although the coast of Libya was mostly desert, there were caravan trails and tiny villages eking out a meager living. Based on his map knowledge he guessed he’d come ashore somewhere between Apollonia {PD Susah} and Tobruk. After a bit of internal debate he began moving east. The going was slow as he had to travel in the water line to avoid the larger rocks. After a hundred feet there was an eroded cleft in the cliffs but it was still too difficult to ascend. Trudging around the hundred foot wide cleft he went a hundred fifty feet to find another inaccessible fifty feet wide cleft. With growing fatigue he continued on around a fifty feet wide promontory to discover another fifty feet wide cleft that was unscalable. However, on the other side of that the cliffs seemed to recede. Making his way around the cleft he began to climb the slope. By the time he reached the flatter land atop the escarpment, he was worn out. With night falling he found shelter behind a rock that provided a bit of protection from the chilling desert wind.

The rising sun warmed his night chilled body. Thirsty and hungry he struggled to his feet and began staggering south into the desert intending to find the caravan path he knew ran parallel to the coast. By 10:30 his shambling gate had covered three miles at which point he found a little used trail running southwest to northeast. With his hopes buoyed he followed the track southwest.

After a quarter mile the terrain and trail began to dip. As he reached the crest his heart soared. A bit more than a quarter mile ahead was a tiny village, built atop a small promontory in the ‘Y’ formed by two wadis joining! More importantly, both wadis were green with vegetation... WATER! While he wanted to run the best he could do was shamble forward. His parched throat too dry to call out.

As he approached the closer wadi he could see trees and crops growing in fertile terraces, in the bottom of each backed up by a low stone wall that would trap the infrequent rains. The region’s annual precipitation was only ten to eleven inches, most of which ran off the baked rocky desert, flooding the wadis. The low dams retained the water allowing it to soak into the terrace before overflowing into the next terrace. While he wanted to run the trail sloped harshly and he knew he’d fall. Valiantly he stumbled onward.

He had almost reached the fields at the bottom of the Wadi when he was spotted. The residents promptly called out an alarm fearing that anyone arriving unannounced might be a diversion for a bandit raid. Like a well oiled machine the men ran for weapons as the women gathered children. Older boys spread out in all directions staying in visual sight of the village to act as lookouts. A few men cautiously approached the nearly naked bedraggled figure. It didn’t take them long to realize the person was a youth in bad shape, nearly starved and dehydrated with raw cracked lips and red sun blistered skin. The men stopped about half way across the two hundred feet wide wadi. The lookouts signaled all was clear but maintained their posts. By then the exhausted youth, who on his own presented no threat, reached them.

They noted his reddish hair and green eyes, which told them he was not a native of the area. The leader spoke. “Where do you come from?”

Bleary eyed from the desert sun, starving, and beyond thirsty, Raben opened his mouth in a useless attempt to speak.

One of the men pulled a small water skin from his robe belt, uncorked it and offered it to the wavering lad.

Raben managed a weak smile as he took the skin raising it to his lips. Instead of gulping down the life giving water he took a sip, swished it about his mouth, then spit it out. Only after cleansing the dust out of his mouth did he take a small sip. “Thank you. I don’t know how much longer I would have lasted.” He croaked in a raspy voice before taking another small sip. “My name is Raben. I was sailing from Alexandria to Rome. The ship encountered a big storm several days ago and a huge wave washed me overboard.”

“That storm was five days ago,” the leader frowned as he signaled the lookouts to be vigilant. “Are there others about?”

“I have no idea,” Raben answered after another small sip. “I was drawn under the water and when I surfaced I saw no signs of the ship or others. I don’t know whether the ship sank or not. I swam and floated for four days before fetching up on the shore north of here. This morning I set out south hoping to find the caravans. Your village is a godsend.”

“You swam for four days?” The leader frowned deeper. “That’s impossible. You would need supplies and sleep.”

“I’m a trained physician as well as a warrior and athlete,” Raben managed a smile. “I’ve learned to pace myself and to relax enough that I could float while sleeping. Look at me... you can see I’ve been starved and without water. My skills and knowledge helped me endure the test.”

“You’re too young to be any of those things,” the man scowled.

“You’ve lived in the desert all your life,” Raben stated. “Have you ever seen a person as thirsty as I am not guzzle water when it was offered?”

The men had to agree. Even their own people who knew the dangers of guzzling water when parched failed to keep themselves from doing so. They could also see the young stranger was perking up. His body was clearly recovering as they watched. What disturbed them was when they saw his cracked lips begin to heal. “He’s a demon,” one man gasped as they all stepped back.

“I’m not a demon,” Raben sighed realizing his rapid healing was frightening them. “I was cursed when I was fourteen with eternal youth and health. It’s almost impossible to kill me. I was the chief physician to the legions that Severus led into Caledonia.”

“But that was eight years ago,” the leader raised his sword. “You were too young to be there let alone be head physician.”

“I’m fifty five years old,” Raben declared as he stood taller. With lightening speed he reached out, snatching the sword from the unprepared leader’s grasp, pivoting about the man while getting him in a chicken wing arm hold with the sword against his neck.

The man’s eyes were filled with terror as were the eyes of the other two men. Never had they seen someone do what had just been done. Raben’s actions had been a blur.

“I came in peace seeking assistance,” Raben declared as he gently released the man and handed his sword back. “I intend no harm, I just need food and shelter for a few days to let my body fully recover. If anyone needs medical assistance I’ll be more than glad to do what I can.”

The men were quite wary of Raben but led him back to their village, Zawiyat Umm Hufayn. For the next few days Raben kept the entire village entertained with stories of his travels and exploits. When they doubted the veracity of his martial skills he asked for a bow and arrows and a horse. After setting up an obstacle course with targets at various locations he rode through twice to get the feel for the horse. Simply riding the horse surprised them as they gave him the orneriest animal they had, one that few could ride and only then with difficulty. Raben slowly approached the agitated horse while neighing and nickering. Much to the surprise of the onlookers the horse pricked up his ears and answered. Raben patted the horse on the side of it’s head. In response the horse lowered his head until Raben could place his forehead against that of the animal. Now the villagers were stunned.

Holding the reins Raben leapt up on the horse’s back. With only the tiniest movements he set the horse in motion, walking at first, then trotting and finally galloping. The people were stunned as Raben rode back to pick up the bow, quiver and arrows. With a brisk “HIYA” the horse broke into a gallop heading into the obstacle course. With practiced ease Raben loosed arrows at the targets spread out on either side. Every arrow found it’s mark. When he returned to the villagers they were amazed.

Borrowing a sword, he repeated the run striking a deadly blow to each target. Dismounting, he borrowed a sling and stones. Standing just outside the gathering, he fired stones at each target spread out across the course once more hitting every one. Finally, with a knife in hand, he set off at a full run around the course stabbing each target. While doing so he leapt up boulders, somersaulted over obstacles, leaping and diving, springing to his feet.

“Does anyone still question my martial abilities?” Raben asked with a smile.

“How can you do that? We’ve never seen anything like it!”

“I grew up in the forests of Germania. I could scamper up trees, leap boulders and streams, and run for hours while hunting. I practice every chance I can to keep my skills honed.”

The villagers spoke amongst themselves before the village elder spoke up. “Do you think you could help us?”

“If I can I will,” Raben declared.

“There is a bandit, Syphax, in the area who regularly raids us taking what he wants. We are always on the edge of survival. The Prefect in Apollonia ignores our pleas for relief. We found out the hard way that every time we asked for help, Syphax finds out and punishes us by raping our women.”

Raben grew solemn. “When does he come around? How many men does he have? Does he always come from the same direction?”

“He usually comes with the new moon,” the elder answered. “Usually with twenty to thirty men and always from the west behind the village.”

“That’ll be in two days,” Raben smiled. “Excellent. I’ll need your help to prepare a trap. They most likely scout the village the day before to make sure you’re still sheep willing to be shorn.”

The village was built in around a central square. The doors and windows of the buildings would need to be sealed. Raben had them construct rope trip wires, one a foot off the ground and another just above head height of the horses between the buildings to entrap the bandits in the square. The ropes wouldn’t be visible from a distance and invisible in the darkness. The village was a mile from the sea, the last third mile was quite swampy shore where the wadis opened to the sea. The swampy area was about a mile wide with a small roundish island about five hundred feet wide. Raben had them take some food, water and blankets to the island explaining as soon as it grew dark, the villagers would silently move to the island to wait out the fight. Although the men wanted to help him, he explained their presence would only hinder him. He did allow three strong young men to stay behind. Their main duty would be to install the rope trip wires across the bandits entry path thus trapping them inside. Their secondary job would be to club any unhorsed fleeing riders.

As the villagers followed his instructions Raben climbed atop the roofs checking to see how sturdy they were. He placed bows and quivers of arrows atop several. He equipped himself with two short swords and half a dozen daggers as well as placing several slings and supplies of stones about the area.

The villagers were clearly frightened wondering how one person could hope to successfully take on thirty bandits. Yet they saw nothing but confidence in Raben as he scampered about. They were amazed at his ability to jump from the ground to grasp the edge of a roof and effortlessly haul himself up. His stamina also surprised them. The children were the only ones without doubt.

Finally the night of the bandit raid arrived. As darkness fell the village silently evacuated to the island in the marsh. The three men charged with hastily erecting the rope trip wires were terrified as they hid. Raben nonchalantly strolled about the square awaiting the bandits. It was a cloudless night and the light of stars created just enough light for Raben to see.

A bit after midnight the sound of approaching hard riding echoed into the square. Twenty eight riders burst into the empty square. They were surprised to see a lone teen casually emerge from the shadows to stand on the path between the buildings they’d just rode through. The three villagers anxiously set up the trip wires as Raben challenged the bandits drawing their attention.

Based on the description of the bandit leader Raben had no problem identifying the nearly seven feet tall three hundred plus muscular pounds man. “Which one of you asswipes is Syphax?”

His bold challenge had the desired effect of stunning the bandits.

“Who the hell are you?” Syphax angrily demanded. “Where are the villagers?”

“Who am I? Why I’m your worst nightmare,” Raben laughed at the big man. “I’ve killed a lot of better men than you and your motley crew. Throw down your weapons and I’ll let you live.”

“You’re a cocky little bastard,” Syphax snarled. “Obviously you’re insane. Run home, little boy and I won’t kill you!”

“I can’t say I’m not insane,” Raben chuckled. “But I can say I’m deadly. I’ve killed over two hundred men. In my first battle I killed ninety eight in one night. In my last I killed sixty. Killing that many men tends to make you crazy.”

The bandits grew nervous at the weird conversation. They kept looking around wondering about the unusual silence. The normal sounds of a village were absent. “Kill the brat!” Syphax ordered. Five of the bandits moved forward.

Raben moved like a cobra. A twirling sling appeared in his hand and a stone flew. A bandit grunted as the stone slammed into the bridge of his nose. The man was dead before he hit the ground. A second man was tumbling off his horse before the bandits fully comprehended what was happening. Raben launched a third stone taking out another man before tucking the sling and drawing both swords. With a maniacal laugh he charged into the milling horseman. The laugh startled and confused the horses as well the bandits. He was utilizing his ability to communicate with animals to frighten the horses adding to the chaos. Striking left and right as he danced and twirled through their ranks, six men dropped by the time he reached the other side of the square. Tossing the swords atop the building he leapt to the parapet and pulled himself up and over

Time on My Hands
Chapter 19: 216-217 CE: Dealing With Corruption

The bandits were stunned. Several were beginning to panic. There wasn’t supposed to be any problems raiding this sleepy village! “Get that little bastard,” an enraged Syphax bellowed. Several men rode towards the building Raben had climbed. Suddenly their antagonist raised up from behind the parapet with a bow. Almost instantly arrows flew with deadly accuracy, each taking down a bandit. Raben could accurately fire a deadly arrow every ten seconds. Eleven more bandits were quickly feathered. Syphax realized he was facing a devil and broke for freedom with the remaining six bandits. They galloped to the opposite side of the square to exit the way they had come in. Two more dropped with arrows feathering their backs as they fled.

With the swords in his hands Raben leapt from the roof, landed with a forward roll ending on his feet in a sprint pursuing the fleeing bandits. Syphax was in the lead with the four remaining panicked bandits on his horse’s tail. In seconds the rope trip wires did as designed. The horses nose dived throwing the riders forward to clothesline themselves on the upper rope. Screaming horses and riders were sprawled across the path. The three village men were stunned by the violence of the unhorsing and froze. Two of the bandits were not moving. Syphax and the remaining duo were moaning as they tried to understand what had happened. Raben reached them before Syphax could do more than stagger to his feet as he drew his sword. The two remaining bandits were writhing in pain from broken bones.

“Disarm and keep these two from escaping,” Raben ordered the still stunned villagers as he faced off against Syphax. “I gave you an opportunity to surrender but you wouldn’t do it. Your stupidity has cost the lives of twenty five men. Now it’s your turn to pay.”

Snapped out of their shock by Raben’s orders the three villagers sprang to action to do as they were told.

Gasping for the breath knocked out of him by the hard fall Syphax gasped. “Who the fuck are you?”

“I told you I’m your worst nightmare,” Raben sneered as they faced off. “Raben Corvo at your service. Former head physician for Emperor Severus’s troops during the Caledonian campaign. Ten months ago I accepted a personal invitation from Emperor Caracalla to dine with him. We had a most enlightening conversation.”

Unimpressed, Syphax launched a savage blow at Raben but only caught air as the lithe warrior spun away while at the same time flicking out his blade to slice the big man’s calf to the bone. Syphax bellowed in pain and rage as he unsuccessfully tried to stay on his feet. As he fell Raben darted in to hamstring his other leg. Again a bellow of pained rage echoed. The big man fruitlessly lashed out with a vicious swing. Raben did a somersault above the man’s blade as it swished harmlessly through the air where he’d been standing. As Raben was upside down in mid-air he sung his blade hacking completely through Syphax’s forearm bones. The bandit’s severed hand was still clutching the hilt of his sword as it hit the ground three feet away from his body. An angry pain filled bellow twinged with growing terror echoed into the otherwise silent night as Raben landed on his feet. Without giving Syphax time to regroup Raben once more swung his blades calmly hacking off the pain wracked man’s remaining hand which was clamped onto the stump of his other arm. An even louder bellow of pain echoed down the wadis as that severed hand fell to the dusty earth.

The villagers a mile down the wadi huddled upon the island shivered with outright terror at the horrific screams. They genuinely feared for their lives. They were bemoaning their sorry fate for allowing themselves to be talked into the crazy plan to stop the bandits.

“End it, you bastard,” Syphax raged as he managed to regain a smattering of self control, realizing Raben was merely toying with him.

“That won’t be happening,” Raben laughed. “I want you alive to testify against the Prefect in charge of Apollonia. You know him, your partner in crime?”

Syphax fell silent. He now understood his terrible wounds had crippled him but could be bound rendering them non fatal. He couldn’t walk and with both hands gone he couldn’t escape nor take his own life.

“Light torches so we can secure these three. I want those two kept separate from Syphax. One of you run down to the others to tell them it’s over and safe to return.” With that Raben grabbed the impomptu med kit he’d assembled to begin triaging the injured. The lopsided battle had taken less than ten minutes. Despite his wounds, Syphax had to be held down while Raben bound his wounds to keep him from bleeding out.

The villagers had difficulty believing the battle was over and the bandits destroyed. They really had difficulty believing the horrific screams had come from Syphax. Cautiously they returned to their village. They were aghast at what they saw in the flickering torch light. First were the twenty one nervous riderless horses milling about the square. Then it was the twenty one lifeless bodies of the bandits lying amongst the meandering horses. Several torches illuminated the path on which the bandits had entered the village. Anxiously peering between the buildings they saw two more dead bandits and five dead horses. Two tied up and bandaged bandits were secured against one building. Against the other building they saw the reclining figure of Syphax!

“None of the bandits escaped,” Raben declared as he walked towards the gawking villagers. “I killed twenty five, wounded and captured two, and crippled and caught Syphax. None of them will ever bother you again. There are five dead horses just past the trip wires. I’d suggest you gut and hang them to drain the blood tonight then butcher them tomorrow. You’ve got plenty of fresh meat. I suggest you dry most of it for future use. Make sure you post guards on the prisoners. They’re securely tied and gagged. Do not even attempt to communicate with them. I will be most displeased if you do! Gather the horses and secure them in a picket line. The dead can stay where they fell until daylight. Now I’m going to get some sleep. I’ll be up at dawn to discuss our next step.” With that he leapt up to swing onto a roof to nap.

The stunned villagers followed his instructions. Most were too wound up to do more than nap. The dead bandits spooked them. That Syphax had been so thoroughly trounced by the diminutive Raben unnerved them.

The rising sun awoke Raben who stood and stretched. Walking to the parapet he surveyed the village. With practiced ease he leapt to the ground then checked the two prisoners, rebound their broken limbs and gave them some water.

Syphax was quite depressed knowing he was being kept alive to confront the Prefect. He was bound sitting against a sturdy porch post with the stumps of his arms immobilized by splints while his head was tied immobile. Although he tried to refuse to drink, Raben forced his mouth open and poured water in while pinching his nose leaving him no option but to swallow.

“I know numerous ways to torture a man,” Raben sneered. “None are pleasant. You are going to do as I want. The only question is whether you do it the easy way or the hard way. I can guarantee your life is going to suck. How much it sucks will be up to you. If you cooperate you’ll be treated humanely. Resist and I’ll treat you like the mangy mongrel you are. It makes no difference to me.”

Slowly the village came to life. The horses were watered and fed, the dead bodies stripped, gathered and buried, the dead horses butchered. The mid day meal was roasted horse, enough to fill every belly.

In mid afternoon Raben had the nervous villagers gather in the square. The two prisoners were brought forward.

“I know some of you are concerned that I may take over the village,” Raben began. “I will not. I’ll take three horses, a selection of weapons, and enough food and water for three days. You can do what you want with the rest.”

The villagers were visibly relieved. Raben scared them.

“Now for the prisoners,” Raben began. “Bring Syphax forward and secure him on the table.”

Once the man was tied Raben approached. With a sharp knife he cut off his clothes. “The wounds I gave you have disabled your arms and legs, you are now a cripple. You were a bully and bandit. You’ve shamed all men by your heinous actions. Now I’ll take your manhood!”

The villagers watched in horror as Raben grabbed Syphax’s testicles as the big man screamed in terror. The same screams of terror they had heard the previous night. They had difficulty believing the man who terrified the village for so long had been reduced to such craven screams. With a deft slice Raben severed the essence of the now former man who responded with a horrific undulating scream. It was only then they noticed the bully’s hands had been severed. Once more they shivered with apprehension about Raben.

“I’ve decided to let you keep your now useless manhood,” Raben sneered as he jammed the severed flesh into the open screaming mouth instantly silencing him. Raben promptly treated the wound to keep him from bleeding out.

Raben then turned to the wounded duo. “Your injuries will heal so you have a choice. First is to become slaves to the village. That means I’ll gentle you by castration. Second is to be taken before the Prefect where you’ll be whipped and sold as galley slaves. The choice is yours. Which will it be?”

It was the devils choice. The men shivered at enduring either fate.

“Since they can’t decide their fate do you want two slaves?” Raben asked the villagers.

The uneasy villagers were afraid to answer.

“Then I’ll decide,” Raben declared. “You have two slaves. I’ll give them a small mercy. I’ll put them to sleep before I emasculate them.”

Two days later at the first hint of dawn Raben rode out of Zawiyat Umm Hufayn leading a horse with Syphax strapped upright and a pack horse. Two young men accompanied them on the seventy nine mile journey. Without stopping they traveled thirty one miles to the town of Derna where they spent the night. The next day they only traveled twenty five miles to the village of Athrun. Even though the last leg was only twenty three miles, evening was falling on the third day when they reached the gates of Apollonia. The guards on the gate gasped as they recognized the big man tied so securely to the second horse.

“Get the Prefect and the Centurion,” Raben ordered. “NOW!”

The gate sergeant recognized the authority in Raben’s bearing and voice, promptly dispatching men. Needless to say the Prefect and Centurion were not pleased to be summoned to the gate. The gate yard was illuminated by dozens of torches by the time they arrived. Both men were clearly surprised to see Syphax, bound, handless, bedraggled and barely conscious.

“Soldiers of Rome, hear me. I’m Raben Corvo. I was the head physician for Severus’ Caledonian expedition. Last spring when I dined with Emperor Caracalla he asked me to investigate corruption here in Apollonia. As you can see I discovered the rats and eliminated them. As you can also see I’ve quite literally disarmed the leader of the rat pack. I also unmanned him. In the process I discovered who has been handling the rats and am authorized to exterminate the vermin!” Raben then glared at the Centurion and the Prefect “Gentlemen, I’ll give you two minutes to save face by taking your own lives.”

The troops were well aware that Syphax was a brigand and tool of the Prefect and Centurion. To see the big imposing man so utterly defeated sent chills through them. They could see his hands were gone and judging by his shattered appearance they believed he had been unmanned. Invoking Emperor Caracalla’s name filled their hearts with fear. They had heard what happened in Alexandria when he and his legions had landed there.

The Prefect and Centurion glared at Raben disbelieving his audacity. Then the Centurion haughtily ordered: “Kill the upstart!”

The troops hesitated. It was only then the Centurian and Prefect sensed the uncertain mood of their troops.

“I order you to kill him!” The Centurion bellowed.

Raben used the distraction to snatch up a bow and arrow before shouting. “I don’t want to kill anyone but those guilty! If any of you even move to draw your weapons I will kill you!”

One man snatched up a bow but fell with an arrow through an eye before he could nock the arrow.

Raben snarled. “Does anyone else want to die?”

Shocked by Raben’s speed and deadly accuracy, the soldiers froze.

“Damn it, kill aaaghh,” the shouting Centurion was cut off by an arrow through his throat. Choking in his death throws he tumbled off his horse.

The startled Prefect watched as his partner in crime, the Centurion, fell. Almost instantly he gasped and looked down at the arrow protruding from his heart. Then he tipped sideways landing face first in a pile of fresh horse droppings.

The troops were beyond stunned. The three arrows had been fired in less than a minute and another was already notched.

“I can tell you were aware of the corruption,” Raben declared. “You may have participated in the corruption. If you did so under pressure step forward and confess and I will not hold you responsible. If you willingly cooperated, you’ll be punished. My preferred punishment is sentencing to the galleys. For now, lock down the city. In the morning we’ll start rounding up associates. I’m taking this man to the provincial offices for the night.

By the morning nearly thirty soldiers and civilian government workers were missing. It took three days for Raben to sort out the mess, appointing a temporary Prefect and Centurion. An arrest list of those who fled with rewards was drawn up and distributed east and west along the coast. The rewards came from the illegally gotten gains confiscated from the dead men’s estates. Raben kept a sizeable amount for services rendered. A full report detailing the corruption and the deaths of the conspirators was sent to Rome and the provincial capital (Provincia Creta et Cyrenaica) on Crete in the city of Gortyn (present day Agioi Deka). A roofed cage was placed inside the main gate to hold Syphax. Being on public display was to be his punishment. It would show the population that Rome would not tolerate such corruption.

Once the situation was settled and order restored, Raben caught a boat out of the port heading to Rome. His unexpected North African side trip had lasted fifteen days. The trip across the Mediterranean took another forty three days.

Raben’s arrival in Aosta at the end of May caused a stir on the docks. The battered ship on which he’d left Alexandria had limped into Malta for repairs then reached Aosta one week ago to report Raben and another passenger had been washed overboard in a fierce storm far from shore. Raben’s belongings had been sent to Mazbar along with the scrolls. To say the port master and many others were stunned when he casually strolled off the ship was an understatement. Tales of his miraculous survival swept the port town and into Rome.

Raben was greeted with cheers when he reached Mazbar as many had wondered what would befall their successful businesses and lives with their master gone. Those from the Clan Corvo had told everyone to be patient, assuring those who were beyond hope Raben could survive such a fate that the Demon Slayer could and would survive.

Once assured everything was okay in Mazbar Raben headed for Barmaz. The Clan Corvo was booming as the next generation was coming of age. Fortunately spouses were readily available from those who lived in the rest of the Vieze valley. Barmaz was secure and making a modest profit but he recognized another expansion would soon be needed. Raben explored the rest of the valley.
In October Raben headed back to Mazbar taking another nephew. By then Corvus Construction was busy. About a dozen slaves were purchased to do the grunt work under the direction of the more skilled hired employees. As with Corvus Scriptorium, the newer business had developed a good reputation for fast quality work at a reasonable price. While many other construction companies could underbid jobs, none could match the quality. Corvus Construction had already more than paid for the remodeling at the quarry and were turning a handsome profit. Neither Mazbar business wanted for work and their services were in high demand.

In November he headed back to Greece. The Alpes suffered occasional earthquakes and Raben wanted to ensure any stonework he might have built could survive. Over the next month he sought out stone masons who knew how to build earthquake resistant buildings. He hired four skilled masons and eight apprentices. The job offers included moving their families to Barmaz so he could begin building for the future. Forming a wagon caravan with their tools and belongings, he led them up the Roman roads by the Adriatic Sea to northern Italy.

The Empire was a roiling caldron of discontent and fear held together by the Legions. Caracalla’s policies emptied Rome's coffers and the empire was at war on several borders. In April 217 CE the inevitable happened, Caracalla was assassinated while campaigning against the Persians. Macrinus, the Praetorian Prefect, claimed the throne, promptly enacting reforms in an attempt to bring economic and diplomatic stability. He temporarily ended the incessant border wars by paying off the barbarian leaders. The additional monetary costs and subsequent fiscal reforms generated further unrest in the Roman military and population. Raben heard the news of Caracalla’s ignominious but not unexpected death when their wagon caravan past through Verona.

It was mid May 217 when they passed through Aosta and over the just opened Poeninus Mons into the upper Rhone river valley. Raben led the caravan into Barmaz setting them up in tents in Champery to rest from the arduous trip while he headed out to buy the remainder of the Vieze River valley upstream from Monthey. Since no one held title to the land, he visited every homestead informing the population he was buying the land and would be their overlord. Quite naturally they didn’t like that bit of news until he explained they could stay on the land living as they always had with no rent until he had need of the property. They were already aware of the Clan Corvo and that they were prospering. Several had relatives who had already married into the clan. Raben let them know he would give anyone who didn’t want to stay a set amount of coin and would do the same to any who might be forced out of their farm at a later date.

With the wisely negotiated deals to purchase the land Raben wanted to add to Greater Barmaz, he once more paid to have someone from the registrar’s office come out to notarize the deeds. Back in the Provincial capital in Forum Claudii Vallensium (Martigny) copies of the deeds were registered and filed. Since a new recorder of documents managed the office. Raben renewed his previous ownership papers. The only difference was that he identified himself as the previous owner’s son thus legally establishing himself as his own son. He also registered Fiach as the daughter of the previous owner with the brother and sister as co-heads of the Clan Corvo. The distinctive signet ring was also re-recorded as a symbol of the ownership for what was now the Barmaz Estate.

The Barmaz expansion took in the entire watersheds of a dozen streams feeding into the Rhone from the west. The highest part of the ridges, mountain peaks and saddles would be the boundaries. These streams, from Lac Leman south, were the Le Tove, the Fossau, the Le Passot, the L'Avancon, the Torrent de Mayen, the Fosse des Talons, the Torrent de Saint Loup, the Torrent du Pessot, the La Vieze, the Ruisseau de Chindonne, the Rogneuse and the Le Mauvoisin. All but the La Vieze were small streams with small drainage areas. The enlarged boundary followed the ridges and peaks of these watersheds. The Barmaz Estate eastern boundary where the mountains face the upper Rhone river valley would, as much as possible, be the 600 meter above sea level altitude or higher to allow a minimum height of 300 feet of mountainside between the boundary and the flat of the valley. Future plans were that where the streams passed through boundary, a series of cut rock chutes eight inches wide by three feet high with two feet of solid rock between each chute would be constructed with enough capacity to drain the waters at the height of the spring melt. If the valley proved too narrow, an second or even third layer of chutes would be built. A massive defensive wall would be constructed atop the chutes to keep the boundary wall from excessive zigzags. One other stream, the La Drance d’Adondance flowing east would be dammed at GM 46.305768, 6.678928 with similar water discharge chutes. The Abondance and the Vieze valleys connected through a short but deep narrow valley. Raben hoped to eventually build sturdy defensive walls with a continual 300 feet high Galcis at a 75° angle to fortify Barmaz along the boundaries.

While returning to Barmaz he realized that it would make sense to establish a branch of Corvus Construction in Barmaz which he promptly did. Raben moved the masons and their families to the tiny village of Champery which was located at the northeast corner of a small plateau along the road to Monthey. Flat land was valuable in the mountainous area so the first thing Raben wanted was to build all new structures on the slopes.

Time on MY Hands
Chapter 20: 217-222 CE: Sucked In, Chewed Up and Spit Out

Since it was impossible to move existing buildings on the plateau, the first action would be to build replacements on the slopes for those. The first job would be to build homes for themselves, then the replacements would be done. The buildings would be cut into the slopes with a mostly earth enclosed basement, a partially enclosed 1st floor and an exposed 2nd floor. All three floors would have a ground level entrance. The earth covered portions would be built from stone utilizing the excavating rock where possible. The remaining excavated rock would be used to create terraces on the sides. In addition, one large plot was set aside for a large building with the intention to build a library and offices for a Barmaz location of Corvus Scriptorium. Raben had intentions of terracing much of the valley to create more farmable land as well as pasture or tree terracing in the areas currently impossible to use. During downtime, each farmstead was given areas to work on since large scale terracing was a generational project.

Raben wanted sturdy stone single arch bridges built across all streams. The side bases of the bridge were to start 10 feet below the streambed to prevent them from being washed out. At each bridge the stream itself was to be channelized with sturdy deep foundation based walls 40 feet upstream to 20 feet downstream to insure the stability of the span. The decks were to be 30 feet wide with side walls 3 feet by 3 feet extending 10 feet beyond the spanned stream. At suitable locations similar bridges were to be built across the Vieze or similar streams to connect the two sides.

Raben made weekly trips to Forum Claudii Vallensium to keep abreast of the news on the change in Emperor and the resultant shuffling of power. The new emperor was swept up in settling the mess Caracalla left and was unable to make it to Rome. When Raben returned to Rome in October the city was roiling with plots and counterplots. It took a lot of maneuvering to stay out of the plots without alienating the plotters. Raben purchased twenty slaves assigning them to Corvus Construction to learn the basics of demolition and construction.

Wisely, or at least at the time he thought it was wisely, he didn’t stay in Rome but sailed for Alexandria and Zamrab in December. Six weeks after arriving he received a summons from Julia Measa, Caracalla’s maternal aunt and sister of Julia Domna, Emperor Severus’ late wife. She had married into a family that held hereditary rights to the priesthood of the sun god Elagabal, of whom her teenage grandson was the high priest at Emesa (modern Homs) in Roman Syria. She and her family had been forbidden to leave by Emperor Macrinus to prevent the boy from becoming a rallying point for rebellion. What made Raben reluctantly accept the ‘invatation’ was while the sealed private letter was addressed to Raben it wanted Fiach to answer the summons. Obviously she had figured out Raben was dual natured and that he and Fiach were one and the same. The threat of exposure was unspoken but plain. As he finished up Zamrab’s business he wrote to Mazbar and Barmaz explaining his situation and giving both instructions as to how they were to proceed with business operations until he was able to return.

At the end of April he wanted the twenty slaves who had been training with Corvus Construction sent to Barmaz where they would join the masons. Raben knew he’d have to build walls on the boundaries of the Barmaz Estate. The first place would be in the valley of the Drance de Abondance below the peak of La Pointe d’Autigny [GM 46.301863, 6.702782 at 1808 meters] and the unnamed peak to the west [GM 46.306379, 6.657469 at 1510 meters]. This was another access point into the estate from the Drance River which emptied into Lac Leman near Thonon-les-Bains. A sturdy wall was began with an easily defendable gate on the narrow north side of the stream. The western wall climbed the hill to the ridgetop. The small village of Bonnevaux just south of the wall would be the entre point for that region.

With that taken care of Fiach set out. Accompanying a caravan, the nearly 600 mile horseback trip took eighteen days, arriving on the Ides of March of 218. Fiach was warmly welcomed while wondering if the infamous date foretold future troubles. Julia Measa introduced her daughter Julia Soaemias and her grandson Sextus Varius Avitus Bassianus.

Though not to his face, the arrogant barely fourteen year old Sextus was most often referred to as Elagabalus, the high priest of Elagabal. The youth fervently believed in his god and reveled in performing the religious rituals with high theater and dedication. When not on duty, in the safety of the estate, the pampered youth dressed and behaved like a girl using makeup and flirting with males, going so far as to play at being a prostitute engaging in sex. Measa wanted Fiach to began a treatment that amounted to aversion therapy by slipping the youth drugs while dressed en femme that would make him ill. However his doting mother was vehemently against such treatments. Fiach agreed with the mother explaining that it was better to explain the health hazards to the youth and try to convince him that his portrayal of a female had to be kept utterly private. The youth laughed that a girl younger than he could possibly know what she was talking about and demanded she make love to him. Finally Measa sat Soaemias and Sextus down with Fiach ordering Fiach to explain her curse.

Fiach learned Measa didn’t know the truth about the curse but her deceased sister had figured out during the Caledonian campaign that Raben and Fiach were the same person. Fiach explained that she was really both fully male and fully female who found it more convenient at times to present as female because of her apparent age. They all found it difficult to believe the apparently preteen girl was fifty seven years old. To prove her ability to heal Fiach took a knife and sliced open the palm of her left hand then held it out for them to watch. Their eyes grew large as the bleeding stopped and they could see the wound slowly healing as they watched. Within half an hour there was no evidence of the wound.

“I was an undersize fourteen year old when I received the curse,” Fiach explained. “I have not aged or been ill since that day. Any injury I receive heals. Once I even died but the curse resurrected me.”

Sextus asked, “How did you get the curse?”

“I’m a Celtic German from outside the Empire,” Fiach explained. “Even at that young age I was the clan Ianuarian and a skilled hunter. A slaving party raided our villages while I was away, crucifying my adopted mother who had been the previous Ianuarian. I tracked them and at night took out the guards then slipped into the camp and slit the throats of every Roman. I killed ninety eight men that night and freed my people. One of those Romans had the curse. He came back to life but I speared him to a tree then nailed him to it. He told me he couldn’t die because of the curse. He’d been the Roman soldier who speared the side of the Jesus which is how he gained the curse.

“Jesus... the Jewish god king? He made the curse?” Sextus gasped.

“From what I know Jesus died on the cross and thrusting the spear in his side confirmed he was dead,” Fiach said. “They say Jesus came back to life three days later. Apparently the blessing that resurrected Jesus became a curse for the Roman soldier. He never changed from that day onward. When I encountered him he was one hundred sixty five years old. He was tired of living and watching everyone he loved grow old and die. He begged me to end his life. I figured out that if I burned his body and destroyed the ashes the curse would lift. He agreed. As I crushed his bones I felt the curse travel into me.”

“So if I have you killed and had your bones crushed I could live forever!” Sextus exclaimed in excitement.

“You would personally have to burn and crush my bones,” Fiach explained knowing the youth was quite adverse to work. “If you don’t age or change people would grow to hate you.”

“They’d think I was a GOD,” Sextus smiled evilly. “Elagabal come to earth! They’d worship me!”

“Until they realize you have no powers,” Fiach explained. “When they realize that they’ll rebel and kill you.”

“But I’d come back to life,” Sextus beamed.

“Only to be killed again and again until they lock you in a tomb where you’d be in the dark, starve to death, then resurrect over and over again,” Fiach declared. “I know from experience that dying is extremely painful!”

Much to Fiach’s relief the reality of dying repeatedly cooled Sextus’ desire to obtain the curse. However the spoiled youth was not one to take advice so his sexual antics continued although Fiach helped develop strategies to conceal and guide the teen’s actions to less conspicuous actions.

It also became clear to Fiach that Julia Measa was plotting to overthrow Macrinus and install her genderbending grandson as emperor. Despite his best intentions to stay out of the political turmoil Raben/Fiach had been sucked back into the thick of the morass.

Julia Maesa had her daughter publicly declare that her son was the illegitimate son of Caracalla and therefore deserving the loyalty of Roman soldiers and senators who had sworn allegiance to Caracalla. After Maesa paid a substantial bribe to the Third Legion at Raphana they swore allegiance to Sextus. At sunrise on May 16, 218 the commander of the legion, Comazon, declared the teen Emperor. To strengthen his legitimacy the youth assumed Caracalla's names, Marcus Aurelius Antoninus Augustus.

In response, Macrinus dispatched his Praetorian prefect Ulpius Julianus to the region with the Second Legion to crush the rebellion. However, during the battle, Julianus’ troops turned on their own commanders to join the Third Legion. The officers were killed and Julianus' head was sent back to the Macrinus who sent letters to the Senate denouncing Sextus as the False Antoninus and claiming the youth was insane. Both consuls and other high-ranking members of Rome's leadership condemned Sextus and the Senate subsequently declared war on both he and Julia Maesa. Fiach was stuck in the middle of the outlawed rebellion!

Macrinus, weakened by the desertion of the Second Legion due to bribes and promises circulated by Julia Maesa, was defeated on June 8, 218 at the Battle of Antioch by troops commanded by Gannys, who was the tutor and advisor of Sextus. Macrinus fled disguised as a courier but was intercepted near Chalcedon and executed in Cappadocia.

Sextus, thereafter known as Elagabalus (but never to his face), declared the date of the victory at Antioch to be the beginning of his reign and assumed the imperial titles without prior senatorial approval. This violated tradition but quickly became a common practice among 3rd-century emperors. Letters of reconciliation were dispatched to Rome extending amnesty to the Senate and recognizing the laws, while also condemning the administration of Macrinus. The senators willingly responded by acknowledging Elagabalus as emperor and accepting his claim to be the son of Caracalla. Caracalla and Julia Domna were both deified by the Senate, both Julia Maesa and her daughter, the new emperor’s mother Julia Soaemias, were elevated to the rank of Augustae, and the memory of Macrinus was expunged by the Senate. The former commander of the Third Legion, Comazon, was appointed commander of the Praetorian Guard.

Fiach was along for the wild imperial ride. Elagabalus lapped up the pomp and circumstances of Emperorship reveling in the raw power he wielded. Fiach helped Maesa contain the worse of the youth’s extravagance, more than once slipping him a sedative to calm him down and more than occasionally a sleeping potion as well. Elagabalus and his entourage spent the winter of 218 CE in Bithynia at Nicomedia, where the emperor's religious beliefs first presented themselves as a problem. Gannys was killed by order of the new emperor because he continually pressured Elagabalus to live "temperately and prudently".

When the entourage reached Rome in the autumn of 219, Comazon and other allies of Julia Maesa and Elagabalus were given powerful and lucrative positions, much to the chagrin of many senators who did not consider them worthy of such privileges. Since the reign of Septimius Severus, sun worship had increased throughout the Empire. Elagabalus saw this as an opportunity to install Elagabal as the chief deity of the Roman pantheon, renaming him in Latin as Deus Sol Invictus, meaning God the Undefeated Sun, and ordered he be honored above Jupiter. As a token of respect for traditional Roman religion, Elagabalus joined a combination of the goddesses Astarte, Minerva and Urania, to Elagabal as consort. The union between Elagabal and a traditional goddess served to strengthen ties between the new religion and the traditional Roman religions.

Since Fiach was in the service of the new emperor it was difficult for her to leave the imperial party. However Raben was under no restrictions and so moved about Rome, meeting people and making deals. Raben could visit Mazbar and Corvus Construction but was not allowed to travel further and had to return to the imperial palace each night. One of the things he ordered was the construction of vast catacombs beneath the toe on Mons Vaticanus. The original catacombs beneath the hill on which Corvus Scriptorium stood were too small to hold the already collected tomes and more were coming in every day.

On one of his outings Raben met the bishop of Rome, Callixtus I. However the bishop’s acts created a schism in the early church. He started to admit into the church converts from sects or schisms who had not done what some conservatives considered ‘proper’ penance. He fought with success the heretics, and established the practice of absolution of all sins, including adultery and murder. Hippolytus found Callixtus's policy of extending forgiveness of sins to cover sexual transgressions shockingly lax and denounced him for allowing believers to normalize liaisons with their own slaves by recognizing them as valid marriages. As a consequence of doctrinal differences, Hippolytus was elected as a rival Bishop of Rome, becoming the first anti-Bishop of Rome. Through all this Christianity was still not sanctioned by the empire. Christianity remained in stealth mode.

The relationships between Julia Maesa, Julia Soaemias, and Elagabalus were strong at first. Most Romans thought, not incorrectly, they were the power behind the throne. Fiach knew they exercised great influence over the young emperor throughout his reign but his own often bizarre ideas were not checked. The palace staff, which included Fiach, was very careful not to upset the spoiled, flippant, impudent, demanding and immature Emperor. Surrounded by sycophants who had the emperor’s ear, it wasn’t unusual for someone near Elagabalus who had even minutely upset the often childish emperor to be executed, usually for entertainment.

A lavish temple called the Elagabalium was built on the east face of the Palatine Hill to house the god Elagabal, who was represented by a black conical meteorite from Emesa. He forced senators to watch while he danced around the altar of his God to the accompaniment of drums and cymbals. Each summer solstice he held a festival dedicated to the god, which became popular with the masses because of the free food distributed on these occasions. During this festival, Elagabalus placed the Emesa stone on a chariot adorned with gold and jewels, which he paraded through the city. The most sacred relics from older standard Roman religions were transferred from their respective shrines to the Elagabalium. These included the emblem of the Great Mother, the fire of Vesta, the Shields of the Salii, and the statue of Pallas Athena, so that no other god could be worshiped except in association with Elagabal.

Despite the best efforts of Julia Maesa and Fiach, as Elagabalus grew into the power and privilege of being Emperor his sexual orientation became erratically confused. Elagabalus married and divorced five women, the second caused outrage because she was a Vestal Virgin. Elagabalus blew off all criticisms claiming the marriage would produce "godlike children". This was a flagrant breach of Roman law and tradition, which held that any Vestal found to have engaged in sexual intercourse was to be buried alive. Within a year he abandoned her and married the widow of a man he had executed. He returned to his second wife by the end of the year. His most stable relationship seems to have been with his male chariot driver, Hierocles, whom he referred to as his husband. He also married an athlete from Smyrna in a public ceremony at Rome. Elagabalus would paint his eyes, depilate his body hair and wear wigs before prostituting himself in taverns, brothels, and even in the imperial palace.

Fiach had her hands full turning away and exposing charlatans after Elagabalus offered vast sums of money to any physician who could equip him with female genitalia. The only positive was that the spoiled emperor had enough trust in Fiach to abide by her decisions that the numerous wild proposals were false and would prove painful if not fatal. It also helped the young emperor was a coward and feared pain.

In a last ditch effort to reign in the debauched emperor, Maesa and Fiach set aside a room in the palace where the wanton teen emperor could commit his indecencies away from the public eye. The spoiled teen would stand nude at the door of the room, as the harlots did, shaking the curtain which hung from gold rings, while in a soft and melting voice solicited the passers-by who were, of course, male slaves who had been specially instructed to play their part. As in other matters, so in this torrid business, there were discreet agents who sought out those who could best please the decadent emperor by their foulness. Elagabalus even demanded fees from his patrons and haughtily flaunted his illicit gains.

Despite the best efforts of Maesa and Fiach the irreverent boy would still visit the brothels to brag to his ‘associates’ that he had more lovers and took in more money than they did. Elagabalus enhanced his natural good looks by the regular application of cosmetics, delighted to be called the mistress, the wife, the queen of Hierocles.

By 221 Maesa finally admitted her grandson was a spoiled brat drunk on power doing as he pleased much to the angst of the Senate, populace and most importantly the Legions. In an effort to save her place at the top she convinced Elagabalus to appoint his younger cousin Alexander as his heir and co-consul. Alexander was a serious thirteen year old who was appalled by his cousin’s lewd actions. They shared the consulship for almost a year. However, Elagabalus grew jealous suspecting the Praetorian Guard preferred his cousin to himself. Fiach proved pivotal in foiling various attempts on Alexander's life killing a dozen assailants in numerous skirmishes. Frustrated, Elagabalus stripped his cousin of his titles, revoked his consulship and invented the rumor that Alexander was near death, in order to see how the Praetorians would react.

A riot ensued and the Imperial Guard demanded to see Elagabalus and Alexander in the Praetorian camp. Feeling their anger, the less than brave emperor complied and on March 11, 222, along with his mother, Julia Soaemias, he publicly presented his cousin. On their arrival the soldiers started cheering Alexander while ignoring Elagabalus. In a rage, Elagabalus ordered the summary arrest and execution of anyone who had taken part in this display of insubordination. In response the Praetorian Guard attacked Elagabalus and his mother. As she clutched him they were slain. Their heads were cut off and their naked bodies dragged all over Rome before being thrown in the Tiber River. He was just eighteen.

The Praetorians promptly declared Severus Alexander the new Emperor. The thirteen year old succeeded his cousin becoming, at that time, the youngest person to ever rule Rome. The military and Senate led a bloodbath as the debauched sycophant associates of the dead Elagabalus were hunted down like the animals they were and executed. The humiliating and infuriating religious edicts were reversed, the stone of Elagabal was sent back to Emesa, and the plundered Roman temples restored. Women were again barred from attending meetings of the Senate. The practice of erasing from the public record a disgraced personage formerly of note was systematically applied.

Julia Maesa was the grandmother of the deceased emperor as well as the new emperor, thus survived the purge but was definitely sidelined, exiled to a rural estate never to leave. Severus Alexander’s main adviser was his mother, another daughter of Julia Maesa, Julia Mamaea. Knowing nothing of Fiach’s secret, she saw no need for the female personal physician with her manly son.

Fiach was released from Imperial Service, or as he thought of it, being chewed up and spit out by the political upheaval. After four years of living exclusively as a female immersed in the drama of Imperial Rome she had adapted to daily life as a girl. Since she was intersex and gaining the Curse before either puberty exerted its influence, she had never experienced normal male or nor female sexuality. In fact she experienced no sexuality. As such she had no need to revert to present as a male. However, having been so intimately involved with the volatile Elagabalus for his entire reign, Fiach decided to once again attempt to slip out of public view, doing so by resuming life as Raben.

Fortunately all the businesses Raben had established flourished while he was tied up in Imperial service. Fiach had served as investment advisor/broker for Elagabalus. Since insider trading was not illegal, she had taken advantage of her intimate involvement with the imperial household to invest her already great personal finances in very profitable ventures easily increasingly her investments ten fold. With the demise of Elagabalus as well as his cronies in whose names she had also made clandestine investments, all knowledge of those investments disappeared with their deaths. As the sole survivor, Fiach quietly assumed ownership more than quadrupling her wealth making her the wealthiest person in the entire Roman Empire. Wisely she kept that secret through a series of shell companies she had established. All the profits were funneled into Mazbar. Huge amounts of gold, silver and jewels were regularly sent off to the Barmaz archive. Fortunately she also had the sense to avoid living lavishly and flaunting her wealth. Instead maintaining a modest but comfortable lifestyle wisely keeping her wealth unpublicized.

Once away from Imperial life Raben purchased twenty more slaves to take to Barmaz to assist those already there. Before he left Rome with his new slaves Raben met with the new, Bishop of Rome, Urban I, and the anti-Bishop of Rome Hippolytus who refused to recognize Urban insisting he was the true Bishop of Rome. Neither was able to convince Raben to abandon Ianuaria but thanked him for allowing Corvus Scriptorium to copy and sell/distribute Christian documents. They realized the youth was better read about Christianity than they. In addition they didn’t realize how much money they were putting into Raben’s coffers.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 21: 217-235 CE: The Last Sibling

Raben traveled to Barmaz. The slaves he’d left behind on his last visit with the assistance of those he had sent after getting the imperial summons had completed basic stone boundary walls and had constructed sturdy stone bridges at every stream crossing. The log homes scattered about greater Barmaz had all been replaced with sturdy homes, barns and even outbuildings with sturdy stone foundations on terraced slopes. In the tiny village of Champery the main road opened onto a sloping plateau about a half mile after crossing the Torrent le Chavalet. There he selected a site that backed up against the steeply sloping ridge to the peak Crois de Culet [GM 46.180992, 6.871805 at 1962m].

At that site he had the slope excavated back 60 feet and down 30 feet using the excavated rock to build a five story building that had ground level entries on each floor. The building was 80 feet wide by 320 feet long. There would be stone galleries to serve as library galleries. The huge stone building would become the main base of the Barmaz office of Corvus Scriptorium. The new slaves provided the labor to assist with the heavy lifting as well as continue building boundary walls and terraces. At the same time Raben encouraged some of his grandnephews to learn all aspects of the building trade, carpentry, masonry and plumbing with the intention of taking over the Barmaz branch of Corvus Construction to handle all future Barmaz building as well as bringing money into the enclave from regional projects.

The Torrent de Chavalet drained the valley just north of Champery. At an altitude of 4600 feet [GM 46.186205, 6.857685] just off the stream Raben had them begin digging a tunnel with a one percent slope southeast through the ridge. The tunnel would be 2530 feet long with a drop of 25 feet so it would exit the ridge at a height of 4575 feet [GM 46.183764, 6.864784]. At the exit a cistern would be dug/built into the slope 80 feet high and 50 feet round with the bottom being at a height of 4525 feet. Once the tunnel and cistern were complete, a dam with a height of 4605 feet would be built on the Chavalet to divert water into the tunnel to fill the cistern. The cistern was well above the Champery so it could provide running water to the village.

Raben’s brothers and their spouses died while he’d been with Elgabalus. His stepsisters and spouses, living in the Elder House, were nearing the end of their lives. Feeling the loss of his generation cut him. They had married and had families, something his eternal prepubescence and intersex condition prohibited. The Demon Slayer would never have children. Watching his siblings age and die was difficult but he forced himself to stay and face the pain to build up the strength to endure it happening again and again. He now understood the agony of being stuck at one age.

The forestry project that Raben had began years ago was finally paying dividends. A nephew figured out how to successfully germinate the seeds to create seedlings. There were four species that were propagated. At the higher altitudes the Swiss Pine was the choice. The trees grew and flourished between altitudes between 3900 and 7500 feet which cover all but the highest peaks. The mature size is between 85 and 115 feet with trunk diameters up to 5 feet. They can reach an age between 500 and 1000 years however, it grows very slowly and in tough conditions may take thirty years for the tree to reach four feet high. Only 3% of Greater Barmaz was higher than 7500 feet. The seedlings were grown to a height of 18 inches in the lower areas protected from the harsher weather conditions. In the spring a month after the snows melted the small trees were transplanted to the higher more inhospitable slopes. The hearty Swiss Pine seedlings, with moss and grass wrapped roots, could be planted in cracks and crevices in the steepest slopes. While the highest altitudes meant they wouldn’t grow high, they would indeed grow. Their pine cones produced an edible nut commonly known as pine nuts. The wood was highly aromatic with antibacterial properties.

At lower altitudes the tree of choice was the Silver Fir, a large evergreen grew to 130 to 160 feet high with a trunk diameter of up to 5 feet. It flourished up to an altitude of 5600 feet. A resinous essential oil can be extracted. This pine-scented oil can be used in perfumes, bath products and medicinal oils or distilled into turpentine. Its branches, including the needles, bark and wood can be used for production of spruce beer. The white wood is strong, lightweight, light-colored, fine grained, even-textured and long fibered, mainly used as construction wood and furniture. This tree could be grown in seventy five percent of Greater Barmaz.

The Yew Tree was an evergreen growing 33 to 66 feet tall, with a trunk diameter up to 6 feet. The bark is thin, scaly brown, coming off in small flakes aligned with the stem. The tree is quite poisonous and often gnarly. Straight pieces are valued since they make the best bows. They would be planted in small groves hidden amongst the silver fir trees.

The apple tree selected had a good fruit quality, both acid and sweet, which produced a golden yellow juice with a pleasant taste that could be brewed into a hard cider. They were also good for storage and drying. These were planted in lower sloping areas. Nearly all the slopes unsuitable for pastures would become forests. A companion project was bee keeping. The flower filled alpine pastures as well as trees made excellent honey.

During those years, in 224, news arrived that Julia Maesa had died. Much to his relief, with her passing went the Roman elite knowledge of his dual identities. Raben also spent time with his numerous niece and nephew descendants getting them accustomed to being without their elders and using them to replace the deceased on the Elder Council in order to continue self oversight for when he was not present. It wasn’t unusual that he had to demonstrate his physical prowess and martial skills to the older teens who often questioned why he led the Clan Corvo. In Rome he had commissioned paintings of himself as Raben and Fiach that now hung in the main room of the Elder House as well as in Mazbar and Zamrab. It wasn’t that he was vain, he wanted the younger generations to know what he looked like for times when he was away for extended periods of time.

In 227 Raben’s last surviving sibling, his step sister, passed. For the next five years he once more began to make the rounds of Barmaz, Mazbar and Zamrab while moving restless teen clan members to different sites. Three began working at the Corvus Scriptorium in Mazbar and another three at the Corvus Scriptorium in Zamrab. The plan was for them to spend several years learning the operations then return to Barmaz to run the newest location currently under construction in Champery. At the Corvus Scriptorium in Mazbar, Raben ordered copies made of all documents in the archives. These would be transported to Barmaz pending the completed construction of the Corvus scriptorium which would also serve as a library. This would allow the hidden catacombs at Barmaz proper to remain untouched and hidden.

Barbarian incursions and pressures on empire’s the eastern borders in both Europe and Asia continued unabated, especially in the East where the Persian Sassinid Empire was stretching its muscles. In religious matters, Severus Alexander kept an open mind. He wanted to erect a temple to Jesus but was dissuaded by the Pagan priests but pushed through the construction of a synagogue in Rome.

Raben did his best to avoid the political turmoil but had to have an ear tuned to the pulse of the empire, sorting reality from rumor to keep his family safe. The legions began to grumble as some benefits had to be reduced or eliminated due to budgetary restraints because of the near constant fighting on the frontiers. In 230 the Sassinid Empire invaded across the Tigris River into Roman territory. The Roman armies suffered a number of humiliating setbacks and defeats, but were able to retreat in order. In 232 Alexander led one army which gained victories but a second army was defeated by the Sassanids incurring further losses during retreats in Armenia. The fierce fighting depleted both sides militarily, supply wise and financially. The fighting dissolved into a stalemate. However the conduct of the Roman army showed an extraordinary lack of discipline. There was a mutiny in the Syrian legion but Alexander managed to suppress the uprising. The emperor returned to Rome and celebrated a triumph in 233. As he traveled back to Rome the northern portion of the empire was being invaded by Germanic and Sarmatian tribes.

In the early spring Raben decided to travel north into Germania Magna to see if he could mitigate or at least anticipate the border turmoil as well as to check if any of the family he left behind were still there. In secret Raben crossed the border at night. Neither the Romans nor the Germans watching the border noticed his passing. Staying mostly in the thick forests of Germania Magna, Raben moved silently living off the land.

It had been thirty years since Raben had left with his siblings. Now he was returning to the villages he served as clan Ianuarian thirty eight years before. Only a handful of the original population was left, having died, moved away or been absorbed by the invaders. Only one recognized him as he strode into the village pulling a travois with a gutted deer.

“It’s him,” an old woman exclaimed. “The Demon Slayer has returned! He looks the same, the years have not changed him!”

Raben sighed as he called out to the woman. “Hello Sig. It’s good to see you haven’t pissed anyone off enough to kill you.”

“Several have tried but failed,” Sig replied with a laugh as the pair hugged.

“I brought some fresh meat so we can have a feast,” Raben smiled.

Even though the population had changed, the language was similar and the old tales were still told, especially that of the Demon Slayer. Word that the Demon Slayer had returned swept through the village and everyone gathered to see the living legend. Runners set out to the neighboring villages to spread the word.

Raben took a few younger teen boys hunting. When they returned with two boars the boys raved about his hunting skills.

The women set to work preparing the meat as they set up for a feast. All afternoon people arrived seeking to see the living legend, the infamous Demon Slayer. The village’s population of eighty had tripled. Only those very few former clanspeople over age forty five remembered seeing Raben. Those younger were eager to see the living legend. Most had difficulty believing the small person could be the legendary Demon Slayer. They also had difficulty believing he’d brought two freshly killed boars and a deer to the feast.

Raben regaled the people with the stories of his exploits. The younger people found his stories of traveling so far and being head physician for Emperor Severus’ Caledonian expedition quite exciting. As the drink emboldened them Raben understood he’d have to show them his prowess. The old woman laughed knowing what Raben could do. Raben had a row of ten targets set up at one edge of the village. Then standing across the clearing near the maximum range he fired his bow, hitting the dead center of each target in a minute. The younger people were stunned while the older people laughed. Then Raben began running a zigzag path across the open ground firing on the run once again hitting the center of each target in a minute. Next he challenged the three strongest men to hand to hand combat. All were quickly dispatched without a blow landing on the eternal youth. The tales about the Demon Slayer suddenly didn’t seem so outlandish.

Raben spent a week going from village to village learning that what little remained of his birth clan had been absorbed by newcomers. The old leadership had died out and new leaders had moved in. The new people were a conglomerate of tribes that had splintered like his had, calling themselves the Alamanni. Only those who accepted the changes remained. When he asked about those he knew well who had remained behind he discovered they were dead or had packed up and moved across the border. With hearty goodbyes he set out on his northern trip. His heart was heavy knowing he’d never see anyone from the clan of his birth again.

With his skills he was able to observe and even listen while avoiding contact with villages. Only after several hours of observation did he make contact at the major towns. Raben silently slipped into the now almost universally walled towns after dark, then made his way to the town’s chief where he waited for the man to wake. Needless to say the chiefs were startled that he had made his way over the palisades and into their home without notice.

Then he identified himself as the by then legendary Demon Slayer who had single handedly wiped out the Roman slave raiders fifty seven years before explaining he’d been cursed by the Roman who came back to life to never age. Many doubted his identity until he demonstrated his battle skills with impossible arrow shots, sling stone accuracy, and hand to hand fighting with skilled warriors twice his preteen size. Once they begrudgingly believed him he asked about the tensions between themselves and the Romans. Naturally as an Ianuarian he treated the ill and injured as he traveled.

They felt the greedy Roman merchants were overcharging for their wares and underpaying for the Germanic trade items. In addition the Roman border guards held the Germans in low regard. Added to that was the ever increasing migration pressure from the east. Knowing the Romans, Raben admitted they would not change and their greed would only grow. While he urged against open warfare, advising that if they had to engage in battle, to do so with raids of overwhelming strength without attempting to wrestle territory from Rome.

His travels and meetings took him north on the German side of the Rhine River where he witnessed several hidden staging points for small hit and run Germanic raids across the river. After several weeks he reached the North Sea near present day Amsterdam. Then he followed the coast east traveling around the Danish Peninsula to the Baltic coast, following the coast to the Oder River. As he made his way upstream he stopped in the larger villages and towns to discuss their situations. Most were feeling pressure from the east while putting pressure on those to the west. In present day Czechia he reached the headwaters of the Oder. Three thousand feet south of the spring, over the land saddle forming a continental divide {GM 49.610070, 17.518642} is the headwaters of the Olesnice. That stream merges with the Moravaka-nahon which in turn merges with the Morava. Up to this time he had been traveling through areas populated by Germanic tribes who had heard of the Demon Slayer Ianuarian.

In the area of present day Slovakia Raben left the German settled areas. The people in that area were the Iazyges, a subtribe of the ancient Sarmatian tribe who traveled westward from Central Asia onto the steppes of what is now Ukraine in 200 BCE. Later on, in 44 BCE, they moved further into Hungary and Serbia, settling on the east side of the Danube east of Vienna and north of Budapest in the steppe between the Danube and Tisza rivers. Although originally migratory, they became semi-sedentary after settling in the steppe between the Danube and the Tisza rivers. They were herdspeople moving between pastures for their cattle and horses. They fought on horseback as cavalry at times serving Rome as mercenaries. They knew nothing of the Demon Slayer Ianuarian.

Fortunately the Curse gave Raben fluency in any language he heard so when he spied on the locals he understood them. Instead of sneaking in at night he boldly walked into the settlements an hour after dawn. His sudden appearance startled the community who immediately sprang to arms.

“I come in peace, Raben called out as he held his arms out from his sides to show he had no weapons. “I’m a Roman citizen who is traveling through your lands returning to Roman territory after traveling in the north.”

“You are but a child,” one of the warriors sneered. “A child doesn’t travel alone. Tell your companions to come out.”

“I’m an adult,” Raben replied. “I do travel alone.”

“You don’t even have whiskers,” the man scoffed as others gathered while some watched the perimeter.

“That’s true,” Raben chuckled. “I was Cursed when I was fourteen years old and have not aged since.”

“A witch! He’s a witch,” an old woman screeched. The men stepped back a bit and pointed their spears at Raben.

“I’m not a witch,” Raben declared. “I am a demon slayer and a healer.”

“Leave us,” the leader ordered. “Leave our lands!”

Raben could see the people were worked up and quite anxious and they were becoming more agitated with each passing second. “I’ll leave,” Raben declared with his arms raised not wanting to get into a fight. With measured steps he backed out of the settlement.

“NO! The witch will curse us,” the old woman screamed. “Kill it! Kill the witch!”

One man threw a spear. Raben dodged as several others threw spears. Reaching inside his cape he whipped out his sword knocking the spears out of the way. “Let me leave before I’m forced to fight you!”

Several men appeared with bows. Raben ran from the village as more spears and arrows were launched at him as he quickly outpaced his pursuers. Before he’d gone too far he heard the pounding of hooves approaching. Realizing he couldn’t outrun the horses on foot and since there was no place to use as cover Raben slipped his bow from his back, stopped, set the bow string, then pulled arrows from the quiver inside his cape. As the eight horsemen charged shouting their battle cries with their lances pointed his way, Raben began loosing arrows. Another dozen riders, the rest of the settlement’s warriors, were just coming out of the paddock.

With each shot, a mortally wounded rider toppled off their steed. By the time the first horse reached him all were riderless. With knickers and neighs Raben spoke to the horses who moved behind him then stopped in a milling herd. The rapidly approaching men and the watching women and children were not only stunned their men had been so easily picked off but that the youth had obviously enchanted the horses proving he was a witch. The riders checked their charge in fear.

Seeing their hesitation Raben leapt upon the back of the strongest horse with the bow still in his hands. “I came in peace, you threatened me so I tried to leave but you were foolish enough to try to attack me. I am the Demon Slayer thus have no fear of men! Now eight of your warriors have died and I have their horses. Their deaths bring the total I have personally killed in battle to two hundred sixty four. I am not proud of that total but I don’t hide my deadliness. I’ll take my leave with the horses as forfeit. I’ll kill any who pursue me.” With the bow still in his hands the horse he was riding turned and trotted away with the other seven horses following.

Upon seeing the fearful warriors watching him ride away, the old woman who started the debacle began screaming. “You cowards! Kill the witch! Don’t let him escape!”

One of the young women grabbed a spear and drove it through the screeching old woman’s gut until the point emerged from her back. The skewered woman grasped the spear, her startled pain filled eyes wide in shock. “You are the only witch,” the woman yelled. “Your bitterness is what just killed my husband! Die Witch!”

The other newly made widows picked up whatever was handy and began beating the dying woman.

No one shed a tear over her passing.

Raben knew there would be no pursuit. With his small herd he rode out of sight of the settlement, carefully avoiding nearing any settlements. After twenty miles he stopped for the night

Raben followed the Morava River until it joins the Danube. Then he turned upriver traveling thirty miles to Vindobona [PD Vienna], a part of the Roman eastern border defenses. He sold six of the horses, obtained Roman tack for the two horses, one to ride the other to serve as a pack animal.

Now safely back in Roman territory, he talked to the local Roman commander of the fort sharing information he’d gathered during his travels, basically that all the barbarians were restless and under pressure from other barbarians from the east and north, especially the Goths who were a Germanic people migrating south from the Baltic Sea. After that he headed upriver until he reached the route he’d taken traveling north. At that point he turned south returning to Barmaz.

It was the middle of October when he arrived back home. The snow was already beginning to accumulate on the Poeninus Mons rendering the pass unusable until mid May. After the long journey he was happy to relax with his family, the Clan Corvo. On the Spring Solstice he gathered everyone living on the Barmaz Estate for a celebratory feast. The construction of the large building for Corvus Scriptorium in Champery was wrapping up. Smaller buildings and barns were built in the growing village for those clanspeople not involved in agricultural work. The imported masons and their families were marrying into the clan.

The Vieze flowed down the bottom of the valley below Champery. In mid summer when the stream flow was at its lowest, at the point where the valley narrowed to a 50 feet wide canyon with sides 120 feet high by 500 feet long, a strong stone dam 60 feet high by 40 feet thick was built diverting most of the water into a long millrace while allowing excess flow including spring flood meltwater a safe bypass in the original streambed. A waterwheel driven blacksmith shop, lumber mill and grain mill were built along the mill race.

Raben established a school to further educate the clan. In the fall he headed to Mazbar, staying a month before moving on to Zamrab. In February 234 he returned to Mazbar with the three clansmen he’d left to learn how to run the scriptorium. Arriving in Rome at the end of March, the three joined up with the three clansmen he’d left at Mazbar to learn to run that scriptorium. For the next six weeks the six compared notes and shared the knowledge they’d gained over the last seven years.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 22: 235-239 CE: Emperor Roulette

Rome quickly discovered the warnings Raben had shared were quite apt. In April the Germanic tribes crossed the Rhine while Iazyges and Dacians crossed the Danube in hordes that even caused panic at the gates of Rome. The legions, who were already demoralized after their costly war against the Persians, were further discontented with their emperor when their homes were destroyed by the barbarian invaders.

In May Raben with the six trained scribes as well as their locally married wives and children traveled north to Barmaz with many of the manuscripts and all the equipment and supplies needed to set up what would become the main location of Corvus Scriptorium. One of the things Raben had specified for the library of the Corvus Scriptorium was the rooms be of all stone or brick with vaulted ceilings and stone shelving in order to be as fireproof as possible. A velum/parchment factory using the skins from the cattle, sheep, and goats was quickly constructed as well as an ink factory utilizing soot collected from the many chimneys throughout Barmaz. Sheets of papyrus were imported from Alexandria. Flax was added to the crops grown in Barmaz. Flax fibers would be processed into linen and linseed oil extracted from the seeds.

The Emperor headed north in the fall to confront the Germanic invaders as Raben headed south to Mazbar and later Zamrab. Over the winter the Romans prepared heavily for war, building a pontoon bridge of boats to carry an entire battalion across the Rhine. Unfortunately Alexander still knew little about being a general. He hoped his presence would bolster moral of the legions and the threat of his armies might be enough to persuade the Germanics to capitulate. Due to incurring heavy losses against the Persians and on the advice of his mother, Alexander attempted to buy the Germanic tribes off in order to gain time to rebuild the legions. At the same time the militarily inept emperor enforced strict military discipline in the already stressed Rhine troops sparking a rebellion among the heavily Germanic legions who were eager for revenge and to punish the invaders for the damages.

His decision to avoid a fight resulted in the legionaries' looking down upon Alexander. They considered him dishonorable and felt he was unfit to be Emperor. Under these circumstances the army looked to replace Alexander. General Maximinus was the next best option. He was a common soldier from Thrace who had a golden reputation of working hard to increase his military status. He was also a man with superior personal strength, who rose from peasantry to general and ultimately being the one chosen for the throne. With the Thracian's hailing came the end of the Severan Dynasty. With Alexanders' own legion turning against him, at age twenty six he was assassinated on March 19, 235 together with his mother in a mutiny of the Legio XXII Primigenia at Moguntiacum [PD Mainz] while at a meeting with his generals.

When Raben returned to Mazbar in April he learned of Alexanders fate. Still keeping a low profile he headed to Barmaz in May to relax and stay away from the inevitable political turmoil. Wisely he decided to spend two years staying out of the spotlight ensuring Corvus Scriptorium and Corvus Construction as well as all Barmaz enterprises flourished.

The assassinations secured the throne for Maximinus who hated the nobility and was ruthless towards those he suspected of plotting against him. He began by eliminating the close advisors of Alexander. The Imperial household of Alexander had contained many Christians. Hating his predecessor's household, Maximinius ordered that Christian leaders should be put to death. This persecution of 235 caused anti-Bishop of Rome Hippolytus and Bishop of Rome Pontian to separately flee Rome but were both arrested and executed. Successor Bishop of Rome Anterus fared no better being executed after 43 days in office. Maximinus also doubled the pay of soldiers which along with virtually continuous warfare, required higher taxes. Tax-collectors began to resort to violent methods and illegal confiscations, further alienating the governing class from everyone else.

During his successful campaign against the Germans a group of officers supported by influential senators plotted a coup to elect a senator emperor. The conspiracy was discovered and the conspirators executed. Securing the German frontier, Maximinus set up a winter encampment in Pannonia (PD Austria & Hungary). From that supply base he fought the Dacians and the Sarmatians during the winter of 235-236. A second overthrow plot emerged planning to elevate another senator but that too failed with the participants and their immediate families executed.

In the fall of 237 Raben traveled to Mazbar, then on to Zamrab. During the time he was in Alexandria, in the neighboring Provence of Africa extortions through false judgments in corrupt courts ignited revolt. The aged governor Gordian I and his son, Gordian II, were proclaimed co-emperors. Fed up with Maximinus’ disdain of the elite, the Senate in Rome switched allegiance, declaring both Gordian and Gordian II co-emperors. They then set about rousing the provinces in support of the pair. Maximinus, wintering at Pannonia, immediately assembled his army and advanced on Rome.

Meanwhile in Africa, the revolt failed when the governor of neighboring Numidia to the west, who had a long-standing grudge against the Gordian family, sent in the legion he controlled. Easily overwhelming the militias defending Carthage, Gordian II was killed in the fighting and Gordian I hanged himself. With the African revolt collapsed, the Senate found itself in deep crap. Having shown clear support for the Gordians, they could expect no clemency from Maximinus when he reached Rome. Having no choice but to defy Maximinus they elected two of their number as co-emperors. When the Roman mob heard that the Senate had selected two men from the patrician class they rioted. The rioters in Rome preferred Gordian's grandson, Gordian III, resulting in severe street fighting. The co-emperors had no option but to compromise sending for Gordian III whom they appointed Caesar, their heir.

Raben returned from Alexandria to Rome during this turmoil, arriving at Mazbar at the beginning of April. Wisely he kept away from the mess.

Maximinus marched on Rome, but the city of Aquileia closed its gates against him. During the unexpected siege of the city the unsupplied legions suffered from famine and disease. On May 10, 238, soldiers in his camp assassinated him and his chief ministers. Their heads were cut off, placed on poles and carried to Rome by cavalrymen. Though still unpopular with the masses, Pupienus and Balbinus then became undisputed co-emperors.

With the threat of Maximinus eliminated, Raben was able to safely travel back to Barmaz by the end of May. The pace of life at Barmaz was steady yet relaxed. Everyone worked but none overly so. Surrounded by his growing family Raben, as Fiach, recharged herself.

Amongst the manuscripts Raben collected were numerous Christian writings. The ideas they contained were often at odds. Some said that Jesus was strictly human. Others said he was a mortal who became God upon his death. Others claimed he was never human, but had been a divine being from his conception in a mortal. Some claimed the Father and the Son were the same being. Those championing these differences often came to blows as those of one belief warred against others exchanging charges of blasphemy. The fact there were simultaneous opposing Bishops of Rome for fifteen years was evidence of the differences. At the Corvus Scriptoriums in Alexandria and Rome Raben collected every writing and opinion regarding the different beliefs in the languages they were originally written. The more popular were copied, translated and sold but if any fell into disrepute they were ostentatiously publicly purged. In reality the originals were packed off to the hidden Barmaz archive tunnels. In Barmaz Raben read and cataloged the different writings, secreting but not destroying the manuscripts and letters. Wisely he heard all sides of the arguments but sided with none becoming the most knowledgeable scholar of Christianity while not adopting the much splintered emerging faith. Early Christianity roiled with fighting and intrigue rivaling that of the Empire itself.

With the main heavy construction completed in Champery, Corvus Construction began seeking and taking jobs outside the Barmaz Estate. The town of Monthey was nestled in the broadening Vieze valley where the stream joined the Rhone River. The town was at the southern end of the first portion of the upper Rhone river valley. The rich nutrient filled alluvial soil, ideal for farming, began at the east end of Lac Leman. The flat valley, at an elevation of about 370 meters at Lac Leman, was between 2 to 2 1/2 miles wide and 11 miles long. Over the next mile the valley narrowed to 200 feet wide then broadened to about a mile. The valley continued at that width upstream for 9 miles to the provincial capital of Forum Claudii Vallensium with a height of 480 meters where the Drance joined the Rhone and the route of those crossing the Poeninus Mons used to head on toward Germania. At that point the Rhone, which had been running north/south from Lac Leman At the provincial capital the Rhone made a 90° turn to the east with the valley running 10 miles at a width of about 1 1/2 miles. It then narrows to 3/4 miles wide for 21 miles. The flat land was mostly farmland with numerous small villages.

Sturdy stone defensive walls were built atop the plateaus overlooking Monthey and Agaunum. In addition, the outside slopes below the walls were cut back to form a solid stone defensive glacis of at least a 75° angle with a minimum drop of 300 feet. Along most of the plateau this meant the glacis ended at the Flat alluvial valley of the Rhone. The original switchback road leading out of Monthey into the Vieze valley was replaced by a long sloping 30 feet wide open road chiseled through the rock, cut on a 1:12 slope nearly 1500 feet long from the valley floor in Monthey to the top of the plateau. The road was tunneled for 50 feet to pass beneath the defensive wall. Walls lined the top of the cut to allow defensive fire onto the road.

On the Drance de Abondance the defensive wall was complicated by the terrain. The small village of Bonnevaux just south of the wall would be the entre point for that region. La Pointe d'Autigny [GM 46.301863, 6.702782 at 1808 meters] was the eastern anchor. An unnamed peak [GM 46.306379, 6.657469 at 1510 meters] on the west side of the valley would be the western anchor. From the east at GM 46.306407, 6.684398 the defensive wall would be built at an altitude of 1000 meters across the valley to GM 46.306644, 6.672654 on the west. Widened to 30 feet, the road into the valley was shifted west to the foot of the mountain. At GM 46.307847, 6.677132 at 920 meters the road entered a curving tunnel 1000 feet long through the mountainside and under the defenses. Upon exiting on the Barmaz side at GM 46.304990, 6.676653 at 930 meters the road passed through a gatehouse with a heavy portcullis. The road continued straight for 500 feet along the mountainside cut to create a solid rock wall 50 feet high with battlements facing the road. The opposite side was hemmed in by a massive solid stone wall 30 feet thick and 50 feet high topped by battlements facing the road. The defensive walls on both sides of the road doglegged 45° west continuing another 500 feet. At the exit the road traveled through another gatehouse with heavy portcullis.

The stream itself would be channelized into a series of side by side cut stone channels 8 inches wide by 3 feet high by 700 feet long capable of handling the spring water melt flows. In the center of and on top of the channels parallel stone walls 3 feet wide 30 feet apart were built across the valley with the area between filled with compacted rock. On both outer sides of the walls rock would be dumped to create a compacted 75° glacis a minimum of 300 feet tall. The parallel walls would become one solid battlement topped wall from 15 feet below the top of the glacis to 30 feet above the glacis. A defensive moat/lake 25 feet deep would be dug for 2000 feet along the relocated road. The lake level would be 1 foot below the road. The lake would cut northeast across the valley for 1500 feet, then follow the base of the eastern mountains 3000 feet back to the glacis. The excavated rock would go into the glacis and wall fill.

In Rome the co-emperors mistrusted each other further alienating the troops and citizens. Both were murdered on July 29 by the disgusted Praetorian Guard, making Gordian III sole surviving Emperor. At age thirteen, he became the youngest emperor the empire ever had, even younger than Alexander. Having been raised in the Roman Province of Africa far from the pulse of Roman life and politics, the orphaned youth was simply overwhelmed and fell prey to greedy ‘advisors’.

The confusion in the heart of the empire encouraged the Goths and the Carpi to attack across the Danube border. In the Danube delta by the Black Sea the former Greek colony of Histria was sacked in late 238. Other economically important commercial centers along the Danube Delta were also sacked. Legions were dispatched to repulse the invaders who wisely retreated with their booty.

In the beginning of April 239, Raben’s wanderlust once more took hold of him. This time he set off down the Rhone River around Lac Leman into Gaul to the city of Lyon. During the campaign in Caledonia Raben had accompanied the troops up the Rhone to Lyon, then along the Saone River to Cabillonum [Chalon-sur-Sane], then east overland to Boulogne on the English Channel. This time he followed the Roman road to the Bay of Biscay on the Atlantic Coast at Bordeaux. From there he followed the coast south, crossing the Pyrenees Mountains into the Iberian Peninsula.

Raben found the differences between the native populations interesting since all had emerged from a Celtic base. Before 200 BCE nearly all the peoples of Europe south and west of a rough line formed by the Weser River, the Harz Mountains and the Ore Mountains in Germany as well as north and east of the Apennines Mountains in Italy and north of Greece and Macedonia had been Celts. Greek traders settled and brought Greek culture to narrow strips of the Mediterranean coasts of France and Spain. Carthage had done the same to the southeast third of Spain. With the exception of Caledonia, Ireland, and Wales the rest of the Celtic areas were conquered by Rome and subsumed into Roman culture. Raben had been born in Germany where the Celts had been overwhelmed and absorbed by the Germans. The blending of the cultures was geographically unique.

As usual Raben traveled as an itinerant Ianuarian. Due to his small size he was usually able to travel freely, treating any who needed his skills, sharing his knowledge with local healers and absorbing theirs. It was not unusual to spend a week or two in a town or city learning how to prepare potions, food and other unique skills. With his wide range of experience and knowledge he amazed the locals as he learned and shared. If he discovered a unique tool or object or food he’d write up a description with drawings. Other times he collected tools, objects or seeds to package and send to Barmaz with his writings. That almost idyllic existence was all about to change.

In Iberia he heard of a troubled, polluted area, the silver/lead mines at Riotinto, the largest mine complex in the empire. Curious, he decided to visit, arriving in the middle of September. What he found horrified him. The area was clearly devastated. The Tinto and Odiel rivers, whose headwaters were within two miles of each other with the mines between and around them, were poisoned with arsenic and heavy metals tinting the water red. With no aquatic life, neither the local population nor animals drank the water in the streams. The smell of sulfur was omnipresent. There was little remaining of the natural terrain as the heights had been mined and mounds of slag dotted the raped landscape. All trees within twenty miles had been cut down for mining timbers and fuel for the smelting furnaces in addition to normal societal uses.

Raben was fascinated by the mines which were dug up to 450 feet deep requiring elaborate ventilation and drainage systems. Special sump chambers had to be excavated in the mine to hold huge wheels. Counter-rotating pairs of wheels, which reduced the turbulence, were prefabricated on the surface before being reassembled in a mine. The wheels were between thirteen to eighteen feet in diameter able to raise water nine to thirteen feet. The dual rims were continuous with dividers forming twenty to twenty four water compartments with holes for the water to flow in and out. On the outside of the compartments were wooden cleats to allow the wheels to be turned by men treading it. Near the top, the water discharged into an adjacent trough. The deeper the mine, the greater the series of wheels needed to remove the water.

To get the valuable metals, the sulfide ores were burned in large furnaces that released sulfur-rich gases. Anyone with respiratory issues had a short life. The slag heaps leached pollutants and poisons into the ground and runoff ruining the area. Due to the importance of silver and lead the Romans tightly controlled the area. Rome leased the mines to individuals who paid fifty percent commission on the ore they excavated. To insure the mines kept producing there were strict rules on mine safety, the treatment of slaves as well as the granting of concessions to barbers, auctioneers, and cobblers. Bathhouse owners bought franchises and had to keep the water heated year-round, polish the metalwork every month, and admit women and men at specific hours. Raben could do little to help the chronic coughing of the miners and furnace workers. Few locals reached age forty. In the local center of government, the town of Nerva, Raben managed to get a late afternoon appointment with the regional magistrate to discuss the situation. The magistrate was the head of the local government, overseer of the mines with command of the local troops guarding the mines and enforcing local laws and edicts.

The magistrate was clearly surprised when Raben was announced and entered his office. The resume’ Raben had presented to gain the interview had been impressive, but was impossible for a child! “I demand to know who has put you up to this outrage,” the pompous man snarled as he sneered at Raben. “Speak child, or I’ll have you whipped and jailed!”

“I assure you, Magistrate, the resume’ I presented is mine,” Raben calmly declared. “Granted, I do appear to be too young to have been active in the Caladonian campaign, but I assure you I was not only there, my wife and I were the head physicians for the legions. I’m Cursed with small stature and seeming eternal youth. I was attending Severus in Eboracum when he died.”

The Magistrate squinted his eyes as he intently peered at Raben. Then he shivered. “I was there too, a twenty three year old officer in the cavalry. I do recall seeing the head physician standing by Caracalla when he announced his fathers death. He was small and young, but that was twenty eight years ago. You’d have to be in your late fifties if not older. Surely you can’t be the same person!”

“Actually I’m seventy eight years old,” Raben declared with all seriousness. “When I said I was Cursed with eternal youth, I was telling the truth.”

“You can not be that old,” the Magistrate frowned.

“You were at Eboracum,” Raben declared. “Ask me what you will of that time. My answers will prove I was there.”

For the next half hour the Magistrate asked question after question, each of which Raben answered with alacrity. With each prompt correct answer The magistrate’s incredulousness increased until he had to admit Raben was indeed the person he claimed to be which clearly frightened him.

As a physician Raben laid out his health concerns for the people of area because of the massive pollution.

The Magistrate nodded his head. “I agree with your concerns. However, it is beyond my power to do anything to alleviate the issues you raised. Rome has only one concern about this area and that is the continued production of silver and lead. To take the steps you suggest would disrupt that production and would never be allowed. Troops would be sent to execute me and increase production. Neither the Senate nor the Emperor give a damn what happens here as long as they get the silver and lead. Unless the order comes from Rome, I can do nothing.”

Raben sighed. “That’s what I suspected but I had to try. I’ll take my concerns to the senate even though I expect that to be fruitless. I thank you for your time.”

The duo shook hands and Raben headed out to begin gathering evidence to present to the senate. The magistrate had Raben followed and sent for the local military captain. When he arrived the magistrate explained he’d just been visited by a demon he’d first seen twenty eight years before when the hell spawn had killed emperor Septimus Severus in Eboracum.

Raben sensed the magistrate was more unsettled than he let on. Both by Rabens age and appearance as well as his desire to clean up the pollution which would upset his lucrative set-up. The tail dispatched to follow him was easily detected. Raben sighed knowing a serious assassination attempt was coming.

The captain of the troops ordered fifty troops to hunt down and kill a dangerous demon in human disguise. The troops were to surround and annihilate the demon. If the demon escaped their comfortable and lucrative lives would be seriously compromised.

As soon as he returned to his room at an inn, Raben blocked the door to his room on the second floor, packed his belongings and prepared his weapons. As darkness fell he heard the sounds of soldiers climbing the stairs to his second floor room. Silently he slipped out the window climbing to the roof. From there he carefully scanned the street and alley around the building. It wasn’t difficult to see the soldiers manning checkpoints that had been established around the inn with more soldiers marching in to take up positions. By morning he’d be facing overwhelming force. Hearing blows against the door to his abandoned room he wisely decided to slip away over the roof tops.

With his agility skills Raben was able to leap across the alley to another building. What he couldn’t avoid was a loose roof tile that loudly shattered when it hit the alleyway. Soldiers charged from both ends of the alley but saw no one. They did find the broken roof tile and the alarm was raised. The escapee didn’t wait around. Even before the tile hit the ground he was up and moving away.

Over the next few minutes the troops raced through the streets and alleys with torches searching for their elusive prey. Raben went from roof top to roof top until he could go no further, then he dropped to the ground, fortunately in front of his pursuers and ran. A shout quickly rang out and the chase was on. With his superior speed he quickly outran the torchlight, then began moving sideways heading for the northern edge of town. Upon reaching the end of the town he sprinted into the ruined hills and slag heaps with the troops on foot and horseback in hot pursuit.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 23: 239 CE: The Nerva of It!

Again with his speed and agility Raben quickly outdistanced the troops. By dawn he was alone about a mile from the northern tree line. Creeping to the top of a denuded hill he searched for signs of pursuit. Hundreds of soldiers were spread out across the devastated landscape clearly searching for him. Mounted troops waited where the roads entered the trees looking for him. It was clear they were not about to give up and he was effectively cut off from where he could easily slip away. It seemed nearly the entire garrison had been deployed.

For several minutes he tried to decide what to do. If he continued towards the forest he’d be spotted and swarmed. The mounted troops could cut his escape route until the foot troops reached him. With his battle skills it would be a bloodbath before they took him down. While he knew he’d resurrect, the pain and discomfort of dying was not something he relished. In addition, he knew the bloodied troops would take delight in slicing up his body and putting it on display. If he resurrected while being displayed... the thought was simply untenable.

Finally he decided to attack. Slowly, staying in valleys and gullies, he made his way back towards the town and the approaching troops. The closer they approached each other, the further Raben was away from the mounted troops and the cover of the trees. By mid morning he crouched in a gully as he listened to the crunching gravel of approaching of soldiers. Judging by the sound there was an eight man squad and they too were in the gully, out of the line of sight of the nearby troops. Raben stood with his bow at the ready loosing arrows with deadly accuracy. The two men moving along the top sides were feathered before any could react. Even as the remaining men began shouting another two dropped as they charged. Slipping the bow onto his back he drew his sword and a dagger ready to fight as the first man reached him. With a quick sword parry he pivoted inside the opponents reach slitting his throat as he slipped past. The remaining men continued their disorganized charge giving their target time to take them down one at a time.

Raben didn’t wait as he sprinted down the gully past the dead soldiers. The hailing shouts of the troops to either side of the squad he’d taken out went unanswered. Each squad stopped while sending two men to check the missing men. By the time they saw the annihilated squad Raben was out of sight around a twist in the gully.

The alarm was raised and spread as troops rushed to their dead comrades. Confusion reigned for several moments. Since their target had not been sighted, they had no idea if he’d headed up or down the gully. Finally three squads headed in each direction as others spread out on ridge tops hoping to sight their quarry. Trumpets sounded summoning more troops to converge. It was nearly ten minutes before Raben was spotted heading around and behind their lines heading towards the distant tree line. All foot troops headed towards him while the mounted units galloped to cut off his escape into the trees.

After allowing himself to be seen Raben switched directions to head back towards town. With his lighter weight and agility Raben had an easier time running through the gravel and slag than the pursuing heavier armor clad soldiers. As he distanced himself from the troops he became more cautious. When approaching the saddle of a hill he crawled and literally rolled over the top maintaining as low a profile as possible. Peering back he saw the soldiers en mass heading towards where they thought he was fleeing. His deception had worked allowing him time to make his way undetected back to Nerva.

As he moved Raben realized he’d made a grave mistake by revealing his past to the magistrate. Fearing the man would send a report to Rome he realized he had no choice but to kill him. While doing so went against his nature, he realized if his identity was verified, his family would be in grave danger.

Once close to town he carefully circled the town to come in on a road on the side opposite the searching soldiers. At a slight bend of the south road just outside of town he paused making sure he was safely out of sight. Digging in his kit he removed the set of women’s clothes he always carried. After changing he rearranged his hair in a feminine manner, then keeping some coins and a few knives, buried the rest of his weapons and kit. Minutes later Fiach innocently slipped onto the road and openly walked unchallenged into Nerva right by armed soldiers guarding the road.

While exploring Nerva when Raben first arrived he’d stopped for a meal at a small inn operated by a widow. The food had been okay and the place clean but the woman had almost more to do than she could handle. Groveling and dirty, Fiach approached the woman. “Ma’am, I was traveling with my father, a merchant, but a day ago we were attacked while we slept. He was robbed and killed while I managed to slip away and hide. The thieves took everything, I have no belongings, no money and no place to stay. I’m willing to work and all I ask is food and a place to sleep.”

The woman looked Fiach over. While slender she looked sturdy enough to work. “I’ll give you a chance, but screw up and you’ll be out the door. You can sleep in the kitchen and can start by washing the dishes.”

“Thank you,” Fiach fawned and set to work.

Over the next three weeks Fiach worked diligently earning the respect of the widow, Feasa Persa. She was allowed to keep the few meager tips she was offered and turned down the many requests for sexual favors. A lot of older soldiers patronized the inn every day, enjoying the drinks in a gentler environment than the more rambunctious taverns in town. The towns rumor mill was rife with talk of the demon who slipped away from the encircling troops after killing eight soldiers. At night Fiach slipped out to spy on the magistrate and captain when the pair got together every night.

Using her stealth skills Fiach explored the walled and guarded governmental compound. Avoiding the troops’ barracks she concentrated on the troop captain’s office as well as the magistrate’s offices and dwellings. By the second day she discovered the pair were in cahoots siphoning off significant amounts of silver from the shipments being sent to Rome as well as extorting bribes from the mine and local business operators. The pair were accumulating quite a fortune. It took another two days until she found the vault hidden beneath the floor of the magistrate’s office. The next night she began pilfering seventy - one pound bars of silver from the stash. She brought in seven pieces of lumber each equal in size to ten bars of silver swapping the lumber for the bars while leaving a veneer of silver bars.

At the same time she learned from their conversations that Feasa hated her business and the town but had no other means of support. She longed to return to her sister in Cadiz. During this time Feasa realized there was a lot more to Fiach than she’d said. The girl worked too hard, never slacked off, and always seemed to have a ready smile yet she slipped away every night.

At the end of the fourth week Feasa couldn’t contain her curiosity so asked, “Where do you go when you slip away each night?”

“My father was killed by the soldiers of the magistrate,” Fiach admitted. “I seek knowledge and plot my revenge.”

“What you do is not my concern,” Feasa sighed. “Just don’t involve me.”

“I can help you move to Cadiz to be with your sister and get my revenge at the same time,” Fiach confided.

Feasa was clearly interested.

“It should come as no surprise the magistrate, with his troop captain, are ripping off the silver shipments and extorting bribes from the mine operators and businesses,” Fiach explained. “I’ve seen you pay. I intend to take their ill gotten gains and kill them.”

“Really? A tiny girl like you? You really think you can take their silver and kill them and get away with it? Girl, I thought you were smart,” Feasa scoffed.

“I am smart and stealthy,” Fiach replied as she brushed the dirt away in a corner of the dirt floored kitchen to reveal several boards. Removing the boards revealed a large hole containing dozens of one pound silver bars. “This is only a small part of what I’ve already liberated from their hidden stash and they have no idea it’s missing.”

The widow’s eyes grew wide and she gasped.

“This is more silver than you’d ever see in your entire life,” Fiach explained. “If you really want to get out of Nerva, first, you need to announce you want to sell the inn, letting everyone know you’ll be moving to your sister in Cadiz. Once its sold you buy a sturdy wagon and a pair of mules. While you do that I take the rest of their silver and hide it all in the bottom of the wagon. We load a few chairs, a table, your bed and anything else you want to take, on top. That night I kill the captain and magistrate. At dawn the next day we simply ride out of town heading to Cadiz. We’ll be innocently heading down the road while the soldiers are scouring the area for the murderer. The troops will spread all over the region looking for the killers. I’ve been around soldiers enough to know the troops and officers know what was going on. They’ll be tearing the town apart searching for the missing silver. When the searchers reach us on the road, they’ll recognize us and know all about why you’re leaving. We play our part as citizens shocked by the assassinations whenever they look in the wagon. They’ll charge off down the road while we simply travel on our way.”

Feasa just shook her head. “It’s a devious plan yet so simple it might just work.”

Fiach pulled out a smaller purse filled with copper and silver coins. “I’ve liberated these too. It will be your seed money to buy the wagon and mules. When we get to Cadiz, you move in with your sister, I’ll take the wagon onward. I’ll leave you more than enough coins to live comfortably for the rest of your life.”

Feasa thought about the plot for a few days, asking questions as they arose while receiving satisfactory answers. This hellish place had taken her husband and four children, none of whom were older than four. She was left with no one. She decided to cooperate with Fiach.

No one was really surprised when the inn was put up for sale. There were several interested parties, the issue was none of them had the asking price.

Each night Fiach stealthily slipped past the guards into the magistrate’s compound carrying a bag with wooden boards and leaving with seventy bars of silver. The greedy magistrate and the captain never suspected the daily switch was being made.

Finally, after two weeks, someone managed to gather enough coin to make a viable offer which Feasa accepted. For the next week Feasa showed the new owner the ropes. During that time all but the veneer of the stash of bars had been pilfered. After buying the wagon and parking it behind the inn Fiach carefully created a false bottom then layered the real bottom with silver bars. After sleeping all day she made repeated trips to strip away the veneer bars, hiding them in the hay of a small stable near the walls of the compound. After collecting the last bars, she rifled the office taking all the gold and silver coins, more that she could carry in one load. Before leaving with the last coins she spread lamp oil throughout the building and lit a fifteen minute fuse. Just as the morning light began to brighten but before the sun actually rose, the fire ignited, quickly engulfing the building.

As the chaos spread, the soldiers and civilian staff ran about trying to fight the raging fire in the cramped magistrates office complex. The initial fire was so intense it quickly spread to the adjoining buildings in the compound creating an inferno. Naturally the fire drew a crowd of observers. No one noticed the quiet teen making repeated trips between the small stable and the wagon behind the inn.

There were 3159 one pound bars of silver under the false wagon bottom. The wagon could easily handle the weight as could the mules if the pace was easy with adequate rest breaks. After a morning nap Fiach helped load the furniture into the wagon. The still burning fire was dying down but naturally the talk of the town. The smoke and smell of the conflagration blanketed Nerva adding to the normal stench. Feasa spent the afternoon saying goodbyes, nearly everyone commiserating wishing they could get out of the polluted hell hole.

After another nap and with night having fallen, Fiach, clad in her stalking clothes, slipped away. Heading out of town she retrieved her weapon stash which she had previously moved to a closer secure site. With the bow strung and across her back she began her hunt. Slipping from shadow to shadow she slipped through the uneasy town climbing to the roof of the public bath across the town square from the still smoldering magistrate’s compound.

As she expected, she saw the troop captain and the magistrate directing a crew of men digging through the smoking remains of the office. Fiach could tell they were attempting to reach the hidden vault where the silver bars had been held. Shaking her head with disgust at their greed she prepared. Hidden by the darkness and at a range of three hundred feet she stood. The first arrow slammed into the back of the captain. Staggered, the man grunted in shock and pain looking down at the bloody arrowhead protruding from his chest. Before he had a chance to crumble to the ground another arrow was on its way. The magistrate was clearly stunned upon seeing the point of an arrow sticking from the chest of his co-conspirator and froze in place. The second arrow ripped into his back causing him to stagger forward while making a pained gasp of surprise to see a bloody arrowhead sticking out
of HIS chest. Without making another sound he pitching forward atop the dead captain, quickly joining him in Charon’s embrace. It had not yet reached midnight.

As soon as she loosed the second arrow Fiach dropped flat to the roof. After verifying the flight of the arrows had been true she made her way to the rear of the building out of sight of those who had been with the now dead duo. With everyone concentrating on clearing the rubble, no one immediately noticed the two had been struck down. She was clambering down the back of the baths before the alarm was raised. She had no problems making her way back to the inn and the wagon where she hid her weapons under a pile of blankets. After changing back into a dress, she then calmly laid atop the blankets to sleep.

Shortly after dawn the widow emerged from the inn for the last time. The town was once more swarming with soldiers searching for the murderer of the captain and magistrate. Fiach fetched the mules from the stable theyd been kept and hitched them to the wagon. They had to wait to exit the alley from behind the inn as soldiers were conducting a building to building search. Feasa and Fiach were familiar faces and the soldiers knew they were leaving so after a cursory look into the wagon the females were allowed to head on their way. Both had feigned shock to learn the captain and magistrate had been assassinated.

Fiach slowly, calmly and with care drove out of Nerva, handling the chore with the ease of a practiced teamster. They were stopped and casually checked three more times, the last at a checkpoint established on the town line before they passed into the devastated countryside. Once they were clear of town with no one around Feasa relaxed and closely watched Fiach as she calmly drove the heavily laden wagon.

After they were three miles out of town Feasa sighed. “You’re the demon they were looking for several weeks ago.”

“I’m not a demon,” Fiach replied seriously. “But I have been called such many times. Do you really want to know the truth?”

“Yes,” the woman nodded.

“I’m an adult human,” Fiach explained. “I’m just small and youthful.”

Feasa was clearly surprised. “You certainly don’t look like an adult. How old are you?”

“My seeming youthfulness has allowed me to be easily dismissed as a child, just as you did when we first met,” Fiach admitted. “I grew up with a healer in the forests of Germania Magna and am a skilled Ianuarian. I also became a skilled huntress and fighter there. I can move stealthily and hide in shadows.”

Feasa was clearly surprised. “Germania Magna, isn’t that outside the empire?”

“Yes, I crossed the border and after several years returned for our mother and siblings,” Fiach sighed. “They settled in the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae but they knew I didn’t want to settle down. I’m way too independent and as I healer I can support myself so I’ve been traveling since.”

Feasa judged Fiach to be speaking from her heart. “Why didn’t you ever settle down?”

“I’m often not taken seriously and my skills create jealousy,” Fiach stated. “I’ve found it necessary to move around. I heard about the terrible health issues here and came to see if I could help. I approached the magistrate about making changes to bring about health improvements. He agreed the health issues were bad but insisted the empire would not allow anything that impacted the flow of silver and lead, a fact I already knew. I assume he feared my ideas would cut into his corruption. After I left he decided to have me arrested. I fled but he sent the soldiers after me. I killed the soldiers in self defense. The rest you know.”

“If I didn’t trust you I’d be terrified,” Feasa declared. “How much silver did you take?”

“It’s best you don’t know,” Fiach said. “I promised to give you enough coins to live in comfort and I will. The word will spread amongst the Romans about the magistrate’s extortion and death. They wont let it out to the public but anyone who tries to sell a bar of silver will be arrested and brutally questioned.”

Feasa had no doubt Fiach was right. “I’ll take the coins and be happy. But how will you sell the silver?”

“That’s easy, I wont sell it,” Fiach chuckled. “I don’t need it so I’ll take it back to my family and hide it. My grandnephews and nieces can sell it.”

“That will work,” Feasa laughed. “How will you get it back to your family?”

“Just like were traveling now,” Fiach answered. “I’m in no rush. Slow and easy will do it.”

“You’ve got guts, I’ll give you that,” Feasa replied.

Traveling at an easy pace with regular stops to rest and feed the mules, they traveled about twenty miles being stopped twice more by soldiers. They set up camp, sleeping under a lean-to attached to the side of the wagon, just inside the tree line outside the area of worst contamination. Over the next three days they were stopped at least once a day but only received cursory inspections. Each night they camped along the road thus being able to stay with the wagon. Fiach played her flute.

The fourth day they were unmolested setting up camp and relaxing in a well watered grove. As an experienced hunter Fiach was a light sleeper. During the night Fiach heard noises. Instantly awake, she gathered her sword and knives which, like every night, were by her side. Moving silently she rolled onto her tummy and peered into the darkness. There were five men creeping towards them while another tried to keep the mules quiet as he untied them. In the dim light Fiach noted the glint of weapons in the mens hands. Fiach stayed still waiting as the men pounced.

Feasa started and attempted to scream as her assailant grabbed her covering her mouth. The man who grabbed Fiach grunted as her hand darted out to slit his throat. As his blood geysered he fruitlessly clawed at his severed throat as she shoved him aside. The man on Feasa heard his companion’s gurgling death rattle a second before his throat was opened. Feasa was coated in his spraying blood as his hands released her allowing her to let loose a blood curdling scream.

Fiach was on her feet, a thrown knife thudding into gut of the man by the mules. He sank to his knees grasping the grip of the six inch knife blade sunk into him. His mouth moved wordlessly as he found the strength to pull the knife free. As he did so blood spouted from the wound. As he did that Fiach leapt at the three totally surprised men totally catching them off guard. One man’s headless body stood for twenty seconds. Unfortunately less than two seconds later another man screamed as he was gutted. The last man cried out in fear turning to flee but Fiach was quicker.

He’d only gone a few steps when Fiach pulled back on the stroke that would have brutally sliced his hamstring. She sensed this person was not evil like the others. Instead she just gave him a nasty cut on the back of his thigh. Crying in pain and panic he stumbled forward face-planting in the grass. Fiach stepped over him, grabbed his hair yanking his head back and placed her sword’s blade against his throat.

“If you want to live stay very, very still,” Fiach hissed.

Other than pissing himself the whimpering terrified wounded man didn’t move.

Fiach took the sword away from his neck and released the hold on his hair. His face once again dropped into the grass. Stepping to the side she quickly disarmed him before he could attempt to move. It was at that point she realized the person wasn’t a man but a terrified teen. Quickly she tied his hands behind his back before binding his wound. “Don’t move. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

With a browbeaten whimper the shivering teen nodded his head.

Meanwhile trapped beneath the dead man, Feasa was still screaming in absolute terror.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 24: 239-240 CE: Moving Right Along

“Feasa, its over,” Fiach called out as she hurried to her hysterical companion. “We’re safe. Try to calm down so I can help you out from beneath your dead attacker.”

Trembling and gasping for breath Feasa managed to stop screaming as she looked at the shadowy shape kneeling by her. The shape sounded like Fiach and seemed similar in size.

“You’re safe,” Fiach soothed. “I’ll shift his body so you can squirm out from beneath him.”

As Fiach shifted the body Feasa felt the weight pinning her lessen. The need to distance herself from the dead man forced her into action. Without too much effort she slithered from beneath the body. Stumbling to her feet in the dim light of night, she was horrified to see Fiach release the body she’d rolled off of her. Glancing to where Fiach had been lying she saw the still body of another man. ‘Greater Jupiter,’ she shivered with wonder. ‘Were there more?’

“I killed five, wounded and captured one,” Fiach replied reaching into her kit to pull out a flint and steel. A lamp was quickly lit and then a torch.

In the flickering light Feasa almost incomprehensively looked about at the still warm bodies, the look of shock clearly frozen on the face of the head that had rolled near their camp from the headless body ten feet away. “You... you killed them... that quickly? How did you even know they were here?”

“I’m a hunter and warrior as well as an Ianuarian,” Fiach stated. “As a hunter I’ve learned to be hyper alert even when sleeping. As a warrior I’m deadly. I took these thieves out in a bit over a minute.”

Feasa shivered as she looked at Fiach. The young compassionate woman she’d come to know was not present. A deadly efficient killer stood before her. Now she understood why she was called a demon. Then as she watched she saw the killer fade and the compassionate woman reassert herself.

“Please get a fire going,” Fiach asked. “I need the light to treat the one I wounded.” With that she moved off to retrieve the wounded thief. With a bit of effort she helped the teen to his feet, then slipped beneath an arm to assist him limp to the stone rimmed fire circle.

Feasa lit the campfire then huddled close to its warmth and light. She watched as Fiach administered the teen a pain killing sedating potion.

“You’re not one of these thieves,” Fiach declared. “Why were you with them?”

“My uncle is the one you beheaded,” the still frightened teen answered. “After my mother died five years ago he took me in. Up until tonight I stayed in their camp while they went out. Tonight he said I was old enough to join in. When I saw you slice his head off I ran.”

“That was a smart thing to do,” Fiach said. “It saved your life. “I take it they’ve been doing this for a while and the authorities are looking for them?”

“Yes, there’s a reward out for them,” the teen whimpered. “You should have killed me too. They’ll crucify me.”

“Not if we tell them you’re part of our party,” Fiach said. “We can tell them you’re Feasa’s son and were wounded in the fight. What’s your name and how old are you?”

“Gref, my name is Gref,” the teary teen gasped. “I’m fourteen. Why would you do that? Why would you try to save me?”

“Because I believe your story,” Fiach said. “I could tell the others were evil. I also sensed your fear. It’s why I didn’t kill you. You’re innocent. Beside, you have no family. Neither does Feasa. A mother needs a live child.”

Feasa drew in a sharp breath. She had been listening and felt her heart go out to the terrified teen. When she heard Fiach’s plan that he be her son she felt giddy. Having Fiach around the last two months had awakened her long frustrated and repressed motherhood. Knowing Fiach would be moving on in a few days almost broke her heart. Now Fiach was giving her a long desired chance to be a mother!

“Feasa, set up a bed for your son, Gref, by the fire,” Fiach ordered. “When I’m done repairing his wound, then well put him to bed.”

The meds were really hitting the openly crying teen. “You’ll really help me?”

“Feasa, tell your son you love him,” Fiach said.

Feasa came over to the teen, knelt by him, held his face in her hands, and kissed his forehead. “My son... Gref... I love you!”

Gref lost it breaking down in tears as did Feasa. The pair hugged until the drugged teen fell asleep.

Once the teen nodded off the Ianuarian cleansed the nasty wound on the back of his thigh as Feasa rested his head on her lap tenderly stroking his hair. It unnerved yet amazed Feasa to watch the muscle being sewn back together, then another herbal wound cleansing, then sewing the flesh closed and finally the application of a poultice before bandaging the wound site. The teen never flinched nor moved from his mothers tender hug.

Having seen many severe wounds Feasa wondered about Grefs recovery prospects. “Will he be crippled?”

“No, but the recovery will take months and he’ll have to follow my instructions,” Fiach answered. “I’m a good Ianuarian. I know what I’m doing.”

Fiach and Feasa moved him to the bedroll by the fire, then Feasa tucked him in.

“Fiach, I don’t know what to say,” Feasa whispered.

“I’ve seen the way you longingly look at mothers with their children. You need a son and he needs a mother. I just did the right thing. He’ll sleep the night,” Fiach said as she took a torch. “Lets clean up in the stream.”

Feasa suddenly shivered as she remembered she was covered in dried blood. “What about the dead?”

“They’re not going anywhere,” Fiach calmly answered.

With the torch stuck into the streambank, the women waded into the flowing water to wash the death from themselves and their blankets.

Feasa wondered about Fiach. A deadly killer one moment, a compassionate woman the next, a supremely skilled Ianuarian another. She was quite an enigma.

Sitting in the warmth of the fire its needless to say neither woman got any sleep. As she watched the sleeping teen Feasa knew she now had a purpose in her life. Once the sun rose, Feasa could clearly see the bodies. Once more she shivered at the horrible memories of the assault. Sitting beside Gref she lovingly stroked his head looking forward once more to motherhood.

Before too long a pair of riders hove into view. Fiach waved them down. They could see the bodies and listened in disbelief as Fiach quickly explained what happened. They clearly had difficulty believing the small girl had been responsible for the carnage. One man remained with them while the other rode for the nearest town to bring the authorities.

Two hours later the local chief constable with two aids and a wagon approached. He immediately realized the dead were the five brigands who had been terrorizing the region for several years. Once more Fiach’s explanation was greeted with disbelief.

“Let me give you a short demonstration,” Fiach sighed with frustration. “Chief, I’d like you and your men to attack me with your weapons. I’ll use this stick coated with grease and soot to simulate a knife. The marks left behind will show where I hit you as I take you down.”

The men exchanged frowns of disbelief. “Okay, well do it if it will get you to tell us the truth.”

As the men surrounded her, Fiach smiled. “Tell me when you’re ready.”

With Feasa and the other men present looking on the chief nodded. Fiach did a back flip landing in front of the man behind her. Before he could do more than gasp in surprise she cut his legs beneath him, then as he toppled she brought the stick across his throat leaving clear evidence his throat was slit.

“He’s dead and out of the fight,” Fiach declared as she sprang to her feet facing the two clearly shocked remaining men. She charged the chief then jigged to face the other man catching him by surprise. Once more she stepped inside his reach so his sword was useless. The faux knife painfully jabbed into his kidney. As he yelped and pulled away from the pain she pivoted around him and faux slit his throat.

“He’s dead and out of the fight,” Fiach snarled as she faced off against the now angered chief. The big man swiped at her with his sword. Fiach easily leapt over the blade. If it had hit it would have been fatal. Then she closed thrusting the blade under his ribs directly towards his heart.

“Now you’re dead and out of the fight,” Fiach declared. “In less than a minute I killed all three. Do you still doubt I killed these thieves?”

The chief was humiliated but begrudgingly admitted Fiach was a formidable opponent. “Where did you learn to fight like that?”

Fiach explained about being from Germania Magna and growing up to be a hunter as well as a warrior. Fortunately he accepted her story.

As Gref had said the men she’d killed were brigands who had been terrorizing the area for years. There was a reward out for them.

“We’ll need to stay here until Gref has recovered from his wound enough to resume our trip,” Fiach explained. “When we’re able to travel we’ll stop in town to collect the reward. It’ll take about a week.”

The chief and his men loaded the five bodies on the wagon. They’d be publicly displayed as an example of what happens to criminals.

By the time Gref awoke, they were alone in the camp. Groggy and disoriented he awoke to find his head resting in Feasa’s lapped as she gently stroked his hair. “It wasn’t a dream?”

“No son, it wasn’t,” Feasa smiled.

Gref bit his lips while smiling tentatively.

Over the next few days Fiach slipped away from camp with her bow to return with freshly killed meat. Hour by hour Feasa and Gref grew closer. The new mother learned how to tend the wound and both listened as Fiach explained and demonstrated the exercises and stretches that he’d need to make a full recovery. She also made a crutch so he could get around. After a week of recuperation the threesome set off. They stopped in the town to replenish supplies and collect the reward before once more heading off toward Cadiz.

Two days later, on December 3, they reached their destination. Feasa’s sister lived in the town of Puerto Real, the mainland companion town for the island city of Cadiz. Fenea, the sister of Feasa, was totally surprised but delighted to see her sister. The reunion after a nearly twenty year separation was quite tearful.

Fenea was barely making ends meet and the small family home was on the verge of being foreclosed. The family had never been well off. Of their four brothers, three had died from disease and the fourth had joined the Roman legions never to return. Feasa was the oldest child and Fenea, the youngest sibling, was recently widowed. She had a son and two daughters, all under the age of ten.

It was clear to Fiach that even with the coin she intended to provide, the family was ill prepared to handle cash. They’d be able to redeem the home, but the place really needed to be torn down and replaced. While the joyous family celebrated their reunion Fiach bought their food thinking that they’d never survive on their own.

By the third day Fiach sat the sisters and their kids down and bluntly told them that while they were good and honest people the were too inexperienced to handle a financial reserve without some unscrupulous person taken advantage of their financial naivete. They’d be broke within a year. The sisters understood their shortcomings and realized Fiach was being almost brutally honest.

“My family has a place in the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae,” Fiach explained. “It’s where I’m heading and it will be a long and lonely trip. I wouldn’t mind traveling companions.”

Feasa smiled. “What would we do once we get there?”

“We’re building a community, so there’s room for more,” Fiach smiled. “We don’t have an inn but could use one.”

Fenea tilted her head to one side and asked, “What if they object?”

“Well, I own the land,” Fiach admitted.

Feasea asked, “How big is the property?”

“My property is called the Barmaz Bailiwick and is in the Alp mountains,” Fiach explained. “Much of it is mountain pastures where we herd sheep, goats and cattle. We’re planting trees on the steeper slopes. In the valleys we have fields. We’ve dammed the stream and are building mills. The property is roughly kidney shaped. The boundaries are along ridges so aren’t straight. But taken together it’s nearly 90 square miles.

“Miles? Square miles? That’s huge,” Fenea gasped. “And you own it?”

“Yeah, it’s where I settled my family after I brought them out of Germania Magna,” Fiach said.

“I didn’t think you had a lot of money,” Feasa said.

“I don’t have a lot of coin. I’ve invested most of it,” Fiach confessed. “I own Corvus Scriptorium now headquartered in Champery with locations in Rome and Alexandria. The Rome location is on a small farm I own just outside the city. I also own Corvus Construction also headquartered in Champery with a location at the farm in Rome.”

The women were clearly surprised by the revelations. “If you have so much, what are you doing here?”

“I travel to learn and help others where I can,” Fiach explained. “I tried to help clean up the health issues in ReoTinto. That didn’t work out, in fact I was attacked out of fear I’d interfere with mine output. I hid out for two months working in Feasa’s inn before I left escorting Feasa here on my way home. But now it seems this isn’t a good place to be. I know Barmaz is a good place to live so I’ve invited you to join me.”

Feasa smiled. “I knew there was a lot more to you than you let on.”

“I think we’ve gotten to know each other pretty well these last weeks,” Fiach wanly smiled at Feasa. “My offer to join my family will stand but I’ll also offer you an alternative. You can settle here or anywhere along the route and I’ll provide enough coin for you to live for the next ten years.”

“The women exchanged worried glances. “I thought you said we be welcomed. Why would we need an alternative?”

“You will be welcomed but you may not want to join us. I haven’t lied to you but I have stretched the truth and haven’t been completely honest,” Fiach confessed before drawing in a deep breath. Then she fully explained her past, that she was dual spirited, and that she had been Cursed at age fourteen with health, rapid healing, and resurrection... and that she was seventy eight years old.

Feasa, Fenea, Gref and the kids just looked at Fiach. What they had heard seemed impossible and unbelievable.

Seeing their doubts Fiach drew a knife, placed her hand on a log, and jammed the knife through the top of her hand pinning it to the log. When she raised her hand the log came with it.

They all gasped, shocked by the harsh act.

Fiach calmly pulled her pierced hand free of the log revealing an inch of the blade tip protruding. Once it was clear they saw the blade, she pulled the knife from her hand, holding it up so they could clearly see the wound. Their mouths dropped open as they watched the wound heal.

Gref recalled the wound Fiach had given to him many days before. He was just now managing to walk freely but still faced a tough recovery. “Didn’t that hurt?”

“Oh yes,” Fiach smiled. “A few years ago I was in a fight against sixteen soldiers on a dock. I died after I killed my last opponent. A sword had been completely thrust through my back coming out the front. That hurt like hell. I had other serious wounds and bled to death. But I healed and came back to life less than an hour later.”

“I was raised as a boy and only adopted my Fiach persona as an alternative convenient way of moving around when I was thirty four,” Fiach added. “At times I’ve presented myself as the wife of my male self or my own sister. Most of my life has been spent as my male self, Raben, and I’ll be resuming that identity at some point. You would have eventually discovered my dual existence so I’ve told you the truth about myself and offered you an alternate to joining my family.”

“Well, that’s quite a confession,” Feasa declared after exchanging glances with her sister. “We can understand why you didn’t tell me earlier. Can we meet Raben?”

“Of course,” Raben agreed. “Let me get my kit, I’ll change in the wagon.” Fifteen minutes later Raben leapt from the wagon.

With mouths agape they looked at Raben. They saw the familiar face and body, but along with the change of clothes came a change of attitude. While Fiach presented as demure and feminine, Raben presented as confident and male. It was difficult to believe the two were the same person.

“Hello, I’m Raben,” Raben smiled. “I hope my sister treated you well during your long journey.”

Feasa, Fenea and Gref found the change remarkable. The kids simply accepted the change. The next day they began prepping for the trip to Greater Barmaz.

Fenea asked “What do we need to do?”

“We’ll need to carry more food supplies, clothing and bedding,” Raben explained. “That means we’ll have to leave your furniture here so your family can ride inside the wagon. We’ll need to purchase two more mules to pull the wagon and a horse for me to ride. We should be able to average twenty miles a day without pushing ourselves.”

Time on My Hands
Chapter 25: 240-250 CE: Relocating Zamrab

Three days later Fenea had cleared up her affairs. They stocked the wagon, bought the animals, and set out following the coast with a days rest at each city/town. The family took turns walking behind the wagon to stay in shape. It took five days on the road to Gibraltar, four days to Malaga, three days to Motril, three days to Almeria, three days to Garrucha, four days to Cartagena, three days to Alicanta, three days to Xabia, three days to Valencia, five days to Sant Carles de la Rapita, six days to Barcelona, and five days to Rosa, the last stop in Iberia, arriving on February 5, 240. Each night they set up camp utilizing an enlarged canvas lean-to. They all learned just how light a sleeper Raben was whenever one of them stirred during the night.

They spent several days there relaxing and having the wagon wheels reworked. The two month trip had been done with few incidents. Feasa, Fenea and Gref knew that was due to Raben. He rode point with periodic rear treks. His bow and quiver was prominently available on the saddle harness. His sword was always on his hip with a double X bandolier with four sheathed knives on each side Although small, his ostentatious display of martial arms and his no nonsense demeanor kept the seedier elements of Iberian society at bay. Naturally he sought out local healers and treated any he saw that needed assistance.

They set out on the road on February 13 once more planing one day layover stops at each destination. They traveled five days to Narbonne in Gaul, three days to Montpellier and three days to Avignon on the Rhone River. They’d follow the river to Monthey. Then it was four days upriver to Valence, three days to Lyon, and three days to Champagneux and five days to Pougny. The route was a steady uphill trek. There was a steeper one day trek to Geneva where they stopped for three days. Over the next three days they followed the south shore of Lac Leman and into the flood plain of the upper Rhone river valley.

While the Iberians were accustomed to hilly terrain, the mountains they were traveling through were imposing. As the afternoon eased into evening the sun slipped behind the peaks casting shadows across the valley and its checkerboard farmland. At the village of Vouvry they emerged from the shadows thanks to a steep forested valley cutting through the mountains. The sun was visible at the apex of the valley with snow covered peaks on either side.

“The peak on the right side is the northeast corner of Barmaz Demesne,” Raben pointed out.

One of the kids asked, “You live all the way up there in the snow?”

“No, that’s the corner,” Raben explained. “There are valleys on the other side where we live.”

One of the other kids asked, “How do you get there?”

“From here that’s about a day’s travel,” Raben explained. “But we’re not headed there.”

“I thought we were going to the place you owned,” the first kid said.

“We are,” Raben smiled. “About six miles from here is the entry valley into the lands I own. I own the entire ridge line from here to there.”

They fell silent as they moved back into the shadow as they traveled the last portion up the Rhone to Monthey arriving at dusk. They were excited knowing that they’d be in the Barmaz Estate the next day.

They were up with the dawn. As they ate a light breakfast Raben pointed up the valley behind Monthey. “Do you see the wall atop the rocky cliffs on both sides of the valley?”

They all nodded as they packed the wagon for the last time. “How high are the cliffs?”

“The lowest cliffs are 300 feet high,” Raben smiled. “Where ever possible we’ll cut away excess rock to make similar cliffs. The wall is the boundary wall of Barmaz Bailiwick. Eventually it will expand all around the property. If you look at the Vieze, that’s the stream, you can see, we’ve built a series of stone chutes across the streambed. 250 feet back from the line of defense walls on both sides. Each chute is 100 feet long by 8 inches wide by three feet high with two feet of stone between each. There are three layers of chutes to handle the flow of spring ice melt. The wall is 100 feet wide built atop the chutes. The wall is indented at that point to provide overlook by the defense walls on either side. The wall will connect the plateaus at the same height on both sides.”

Soon the mules were hitched and they began heading for the cliffs. The Iberians were amazed by the narrow road cut through the towering cliffs of the plateau. As they entered the 30 feet wide cut the walls rose sharply up both sides soaring over 300 feet above them. Soon they entered the tunnel crossing beneath the wall to emerge in the cut on the inner side. It was an intimidating and easily defendable passage.

As they emerged at the top of the cut several people saw the wagon and rider. One person near the road recognized the rider. “RABEN! It’s Raben! He’s returned!”

Workers eagerly greeted Raben as he led the wagon deeper into Barmaz Bailiwick. Raben stopped the wagon just after they’d emerged from the trees after crossing a bridge. “We’re here. We’ve just crossed the Torrent de Fayot The mountain tops form a curve about this main valley and all the smaller valleys joining it. The mountain tops are the boundary of my property. Everything you see is the Barmaz Bailiwick.”

They looked on in amazement at the immense majestic vista fading into the distant heights. The forested areas leading up to the snow covered heights looked quite dazzling.

“You own it all?” Feasa gasped. “What about your family?”

“I’m the head of the family, actually I’m the Chief of the Clan Corvo,” Raben stated. “I’m the eldest person here having outlived my siblings. I managed to perfectly time our trip,” Raben smiled. “It’s the spring equinox when we celebrate the end of winter and the start of spring, the rebirth. We have a festival feast tonight where I’ll introduce you.”

As they traveled around the slope they saw patches of fields breaking up the trees. Before too long the road entered a small village, Val-d’Illiez. People emerged throughout the village heading for the road waving and cheering as Raben waved back. The people, his family, were clearly delighted to have their leader back home.

The family in the wagon were amazed at the greeting as they rode through the village. Once they exited Feasa asked, “They were all your relatives?”

“Some are, as for the others, their descendants will,” Raben replied. “When I bought the land the owners had a choice of moving away or staying. If they moved they received a bonus, if they stayed they received free rent. Members of my family moved into the vacated properties so those who stayed became close neighbors. Close neighbors marry.”

Feasa chuckled. “So you think we will marry into your family?”

“If not you or your children, then your grandchildren will,” Raben answered. “That is if you stay. No one is a prisoner. Life in Barmaz is safe and the pace slower. In this valley we’re isolated and out of the way. Other than climbing over the top of the mountains, there are only two roads into the Barmaz Bailiwick. You’ve seen the defenses at the main entrance. We’re building similar defenses at the other entrance. We have nothing worth mining and our farms are above subsistence but steadily improving. We have a simple good life by working together and sharing. We take care of each other. Slaves I’ve brought in are treated well and not overworked. I allow them to marry and their children are free. They can marry into my family. When they grow too old to work a place to live out their lives is provided.”

“You make it sound quite wonderful,” Fenea stated.

“It’s not perfect but I’m working on it,” Raben chuckled. “Fortunately with my Curse I hope to be around long enough to make it happen.”

As they traveled further the more farmland and high pasture they saw. After a few miles they crossed the bridge over the Torrent de Chavalet and rounded the corner of the ridge they saw more land stretching out before them as they reached Champery. The big stone building, home of the Corvus Scriptorium, the growing town, and down in the valley the dam and mills just as Fiach had described them. Many people recognized Raben and called out greetings. By the time they reached the scriptorium they were swarmed by people preparing for the evening feast.

Feasa, Gref, Fenea and her kids settled into life in Barmaz. Fortunately, as they had traveled Raben had spent time every day teaching them proper Latin as well as some German so they were able to communicate without difficulty.

Raben spent a year in Barmaz. Then in June 241 CE he headed to Rome. While there he met with the current Bishop of Rome, Bishop of Rome Fabian, who was impressed with Raben’s wide knowledge but confused by his unwillingness to be baptized. Raben received thanks for his efforts in copying Christian texts.

In mid-December Raben traveled to Alexandria arriving in early January 242 CE. What he saw upset him. The city, like much of the empire, was in turmoil. The young emperor was not strong enough to rule firmly and those who ran things in his name were out to make personal fortunes. The Sassinids in Persia were strongly probing the frontiers causing anxiety. Egypt was in political free fall. On top of that Alexandria was the center of early Christian writings with a lot of internal dissension. Wealthy business people were setting themselves up in their own fiefdoms.

Corvus Scriptorium was simply too close to the roiling cauldron in the city. Raben traveled up the canal linking Alexandria to the Nile. The Canal was integral in getting the grain Egypt exported to the city and then on to Rome. It also served as a water highway to get imported items into the interior. The canal was a somewhat natural branch of the Nile that had, over the last five centuries, been enlarged, channelized and kept open by human intervention to serve the Alexandria-Nile connection.

The canal went through Lake Mariout where the scriptorium had been built. The canal connected the port and the lake in a straight 2 mile long southwest line, it traveled through the lake for 2 miles then turned south for 5 miles before turning southwest for another 4 miles then turning southeast for 1 mile then resuming a south route. Raben selected a site on the western shore of that last turn for the new Zamrab [30.996260, 29.863522]. The location was 14 miles from Alexandria by water, being 11½ miles straight line from the harbor and 9 miles straight line from the current site.

The property was a square of 4000 feet per side. Centered along the canal was the rectangular building site 510 feet along the canal and 545 feet deep. Along the canal they excavated down 10 feet and 35 feet wide. The same was done along the perimeter of the building site for a width of 5 feet. Wooden pilings were pounded to a depth of 40 feet to provide a solid base for construction. From the first 10 feet back from the canal bank was solid stone to a height of 4 feet below normal water level to serve as docking space. The next 25 feet were built to a height 3 feet above the normal water line acting as a pier. Atop the remaining pilings, dual stone walls 2 feet wide with a 1 foot clay filled gap between were constructed to a height of 15 feet. The 500 by 500 feet interior was then filled with earth from an area of 1000 feet arc outside the wall leaving a 4 feet high interior wall. With the outer area thus lowered, it filled with water creating a swamp in which papyrus was planted providing the scriptorium with a source of writing material as well as food. The swamp and canal would be effective moats. The only access would be by boat. The new Corvus Scriptorium would be built atop the platform. A small settlement for the staff and their families would be built outside the swamp to the south with canal fed fields in the remaining area.

Raben stayed making sure the building was completed to his plans and the move accomplished. During that time his concerns of empire wide turmoil were proven correct. The Sassanid Empire took advantage of the chaos to attack the Roman frontier in Persia. Needing more troops Gordian recruited mercenaries from the Goths, taking them into Anatolia and Syria. Like many non Roman mercenaries, they brought their families with them. The bloody fighting raged back and forth until the Sassinids were beaten back by Roman legions in 243 with the young emperor present. On February 11, 244 nineteen year old Gordian was murdered by the dissatisfied troops and succeeded by Philip the Arab as emperor who negotiated a shaky peace by bribing the Sassanid representatives. The mercenaries were released from service, many of the Goths settled in Anatolia.

It wasn’t long until Roman soldiers discharged from service because of disabling wounds from the fighting began arriving in Alexandria. While the wounds had healed, the disabilities and limitations remained. Most had no job prospects, many became brigands. Traveling the streets of the city without armed guards became dangerous after dark. Raben took advantage of this situation. He understood many of the medically discharged soldiers were good men who had lost hope. By offering them jobs he gained loyal hard working employees.

Those who had lost legs or their use could write so Raben had them trained to be scribes. Those who had lost an arm or their use could, with pack harnesses, be porters to move items. Many became guards, farmers, crew on the boats, or workers in the papyrus paper manufacture.

As a physician Raben still treated the ill and injured in Alexandria doing as he always did, charging only what the patient could afford. Because of this he met the city’s lower class who were struggling to make a living. His efforts gained their trust, especially when word spread he was the son of Fiach whom many remembered fondly.

One late afternoon while preparing to return to Zamrab he heard screams. Never one to ignore those in need he ran toward the noise to find nearly a dozen men accosting a group of barely teen girls. Dropping his kit by a wall Raben charged into the back of the men. Knowing his small size would be ineffective he ran up the back of one man, stomping sideways on his head breaking his neck while using it as a stepping stone. Diving feet first as he pulled knives, he slammed into another man’s head knocking him unconscious while taking down two other men. It was only at that point the men realized they were under assault. The girls were abandoned as swords were drawn. The screaming girls dropped to the ground to huddle against the building as Raben quickly regained his feet with a bloody knife in each hand having plunged them into the hearts of the two men he’d taken down.

“Be afraid! Be VERY afraid”, Raben chuckled mirthlessly with big glaring eyes and a feral grin.

The eight remaining men saw the hungry fearless eager face on their small opponent. They also saw four of their number down and not moving. The group were ex-legionaries, they’d repeatedly faced the Sassanids in battle. But this was like facing a hungry lion with very sharp bloody claws.

Their hesitation was all Raben needed. With a roar he charged. The men formed shoulder to shoulder with swords raised confident they could take out their small opponent. At the last moment Raben jagged towards the wall, ran up the side and leapt over the men twisting to land facing their backs. The move clearly stunned them as their tight formation jumbled them preventing a clean turn. Raben dove into the center men sinking the knives into their kidneys, twisting and ripping the razor sharp blades free. Using one man’s body as a shield he pivoted plunging the knife into the upper arm of a third man severing the muscles and the brachial artery. As the three men dropped Raben danced out of the way facing the men. His blood splattered face made his predatory smile and glaring eyes even scarier. One of the five remaining men turned and ran. The remaining four quickly joined their compatriot in fleeing the demon.

The last three men Raben had attacked were moaning in agony knowing they were fatally wounded as they writhed on the ground in their death throes. Three others were already dead. The last man was still unconscious.

“It’s over,” Raben soothed the cowering girls. “Put yourselves together and I’ll escort you home.”

“Y... you’re the healer,” one of the girls stuttered as she and the other girls looked at the carnage.

“Like my mother Fiach and father Raben I’m also a deadly fighter,” Raben explained as he wiped the blood off his face.

People who had been hiding in their homes emerged as the unconscious man stirred. Raben knelt placing a knife against his throat.

“Move very slowly,” Raben growled as he pressed the knife. “Six of your friends are dead, the others ran away like cowards. I’ll make this very simple. If you strip naked I’ll let you go. If not, you die. You have ten seconds to begin stripping.” With that he released the terrified man.

Seeing his dead friends he began shedding his clothes. Once naked Raben waved him to run away. Seeing the denizens of the area already stripping the bodies, he ran.

Raben picked up his med kit then took the girls home. Their families were extremely grateful.

Because of this Raben was able to invite the daughters of the poor who had no dowery to travel down to Zambar to seek spouses from the now employed ex-soldiers.

Needless to say the parents were quite grateful to have their daughters escape the poverty and hopelessness of the city. Corvus Scriptorium benefitted from the goodwill by having an effective informant network in the city.

The new couples needed homes, quickly overflowing the small settlement Raben had anticipated. To provide more space for living and farming for self sufficiency he bought more land enlarging the site to a square two miles on a side with his original purchase in the northeast corner, all of it west of the canal.

Atop the raised platform the mud brick complex of Corvus Scriptorium was built. Some of the buildings were up to four stories tall with a lookout tower on the roof 65 feet above ground level. Since Alexandria and all the area around it was in the Nile delta the land was flat providing an unobstructed view for nearly 12 miles. The site was near the edge of the Nile delta with the western desert just 12 miles away to the southwest. The desert hills were just 20 miles beyond that.

In February 245 Raben left Egypt for Rome. It took several months to make sure Mazbar and Corvus Construction were on solid footing while staying outside of the never ending political intrigue. Corvus Scriptorium provided copies of Christian writings by the apostles that Bishop of Rome Fabian sent to Christianize the Gauls. In October, just before the snows closed the Poeninus Mons, Raben returned to Barmaz for a much needed rest.

For the previous three hundred years there was a near constant shifting, conquering, absorbing and migration of many German tribes in Germania Magna as well as the bordering Roman provinces Germania Inferior, Germania Superior and Raetia. This blending broke up traditional tribal affiliations. Many of the men joined the Roman military as auxiliaries and even formed whole legions. They brought their military experience home eventually forming a loose confederation of the splintered tribes mixing with incoming tribes. The new confederation called themselves the Alemanni.

The next few years Raben spent moving between the three Corvus Scriptorium sites spending at least six months in each. The Roman empire was in turmoil with the borders being threatened, the invaders often being bribed to back off. Troops were transferred from the relatively peaceful far western regions of the empire to the war ravaged eastern borders. Between paying the legions, paying bribes and the by then normal corruption, the empire was always broke. Emperor Philip the Arab, was sympathetic to Christians. With the coffers running dry Phillip ceased the bribe payments to the Carpi who promptly invaded Dacia. The financial crisis forced the devaluation of coins which created riots in Egypt which in turn cut off the vital grain shipments. Suddenly there was a serious food shortage. All these situations created a perfect storm... a plague began in the areas devastated by the near constant fighting, especially in the unsanitary camps of displaced civilians, the legions and the invaders. The plague spread through the empire and surrounding territories flaring up and dying down.

The plague drew Raben out of his avoidance of public life. As an Ianuarian he could not sit by allowing people to die. For the next several years he traveled from outbreak to outbreak treating the ill. Unfortunately the plague was smallpox, a respiratory virus with an incubation period of twelve days and lasting two weeks. Thirty percent of those contracting the disease died, another fifteen to twenty percent, dehydrated or starved to death. Even with Raben’s skills he couldn’t stop or prevent the disease. The best that could be achieved was seeing the ill were nursed which helped save those who would have died by dehydration or starvation. He did recommend the wearing of a cloth mask to cut down on caregivers catching the disease.

It was common for ancient people to make offerings to many gods so as not to offend them. Many of the old religions laid blame on the plague on the Christians who refused to honor the old gods. The traditional religions prayed for relief, abandoning those who were sick as god cursed. The prayers of the old religions produced no relief. The Christians, however, went out of their way to minister to the ill, even non believers, thereby reducing the fatalities just as Raben recommended. Many of the common people, feeling abandoned by the old religions, turned to the new faith that actually helped the ill and promised an afterlife for those who died. In the face of this adversity, Christianity grew dramatically.

The shear number of deaths disrupted the entire economy. Numerous rebellions broke out. Philip offered to resign in 248 but the Senate refused designating Senator Decius to lead troops to the Danube area to crush rebellious legions who named their commander emperor. Before Decius arrived the usurpers own troops killed him ending the rebellion. Those he led as well as the Danube Legions then proclaimed Decius emperor. The two sides met in battle where Philip was killed in September 249.

In January 250 Emperor Decius issued an edict demanding all citizens Sacrifice to the Ancestral Gods of Rome in hopes of ending the plague as well as promoting unity. Anyone who refused faced arrest and death, Bishop of Rome Fabian was amongst the many Christians killed. Since it was known that Corvus Scriptorium made copies of Christian writings, Raben found himself swept up in the Christian oppression. The Rome office of Corvus Scriptorium at Mazbar was shut down by the Praetorian Guard and Raben arrested.

Raben, at his insistence, was brought before the Praetorian Prefect, commanding officer for the Guard and the man who ordered his arrest. They met in the prefect’s office. That alone told him this was not an imperial issue.

“I have complied with the Imperial Edict,” Raben began. “I quote: I have my certificate with me as do all the employees of Corvus Scriptorium. Why have I been arrested and Corvus Scriptorium shut down?”

“You have made the sacrifice but Corvus Scriptorium has been copying and distributing codexes for the Christians,” the prefect sneered. “That means you’re a Christian thus guilty.”

“I’m not a Christian although Corvus Scriptorium does copy and sell Christian writings. It’s a profit maker for the business. The edict does not condemn anyone for being Christian. It doesn’t even mention Christians. It was directed at those who will not honor the old gods thus drawing the their wrath upon the empire,” Raben answered. “That means you’ve specifically targeted me with the intention of extorting me.”

“So we understand each other,’ the Prefect smirked.

“Yes, unfortunately I do,” Raben replied with an equally smarmy smirk. Casually reaching inside his robe, he discreetly pull out a corked vial of poison that he kept hidden in the hem. Deftly he palmed the small but deadly vial. “What do you propose?”

“I want a 50% interest in Corvus Scriptorium,” the Prefect smiled smugly.

“That is simply too much,” Raben shook his head. “It wouldn’t leave me enough to make a profit. Giving you a 10% interest would provide you with a nice income while allowing me to still make a suitable profit.”

“That is not enough,” the Prefect smiled. “I’ll settle for 30%.”

“No,” Raben replied as he saw the arrogant smile fade on the Prefect. “Why don’t we meet in the middle at 20%.”

“You play me for a fool,” the Prefect snorted. “I could just kill you and take it all.”

“That is a possibility but won’t happen,” Raben unflinchingly looked him dead in the eye. “Without me the morale of the workers would collapse. Production would falter and in weeks the business would be unprofitable. They are freemen so if you try to force them to work they’ll leave. Plus you have no one who knows how to run the operation. On top of that everyone knows I own Corvus Scriptorium. It’s the biggest and best scriptorium in the Roman Empire. If I disappear and you take over, uncomfortable questions would be raised. However, I will go up to 25%.”

The Prefect knew Raben was correct in his reasoning but still felt his dignity had been insulted. After few moments of thought greed overcame his pride. He could always have someone learn the business then kill Raben later. With an oily smile he pointed to a tray on a table with a jug and several cups. “Let’s seal the deal with a drink.”

“As your new partner allow me to pour,” Raben smiled as he moved to the table. With the dexterity of a magician he removed the stopper of the palmed vial, unobtrusively pouring the contents into the jug of wine as he picked up the tray, After carrying it to the desk, he poured two cups of wine.

Letting the prefect choose his cup, Raben picked up the other cup. The duo saluted each other, then drank to a profitable relationship. As they discussed details, they emptied the jug of wine. A few moments later the Prefect realized something was wrong as he began to lose feeling in his hands and feet.

“Wa... Waz gon on,” he slurred as he looked at Raben clearly confused while a feeling of panic filled him.

“I decided I didn’t want you as a partner,” Raben smiled as he revealed the empty vial. “I put poison into the jug.”

“Bu... Bu yu drnk...” the Prefect managed to slur.

“Yes I did,” Raben chuckled. “It’s a good thing I’m not susceptible to poisons.”

The Prefect was clearly terrified and angry. With a great deal of effort he forced himself to stand leaning against the table. “Grds....,” he unsuccessfully tried to bellow. The effort proved too much and his legs buckled.

“Be sure to say hello to Charon for me,” Raben teased as he went to the fallen man. “GUARDS!” he called out.

By the time two guardsmen burst into the room, Raben had Prefect laid out on the floor with a cloak under his head.

“He’s having a stroke,” Raben explained. “I don’t have my med kit. Get a doctor. Quickly!”

By the time a doctor arrived the Prefect was dead. Although he had valiantly struggled to speak during his death throes he wasn’t able to make coherent sounds. The doctor confirmed the symptoms Raben and the guards described fit a stroke. Raben was released. The threat died with the greedy Prefect.

The surviving Christians in Rome were split as they selected the new Bishop of Rome. Many Christians had made the sacrifices to save their lives and were ejected from the church. Raben agreed with the Cornelius led majority who felt the sinners should only need to show contrition and true repentance to be welcomed back. The schism began when a vociferous minority refused to accept him so once more an anti-Bishop of Rome was selected, Novatianus, who believed the sinners had to be re-baptized to rejoin the church. Both were selected in March 251. Raben met both men, being mystified that such minute details about a faith that preached a loving and forgiving God created such harsh disagreement.

At the same time the Goth’s first major invasion of the empire killed many and defeated the depleted legions. Decius led the troops to push them back but was decisively defeated and killed in battle in June 251. Gallus, the governor of the invaded province, with his local troops, had joined the emperor’s forces and took command managing to save many Roman troops from the massacre. In thanks the legions declared Gallus Emperor succeeding Decius. He had no choice but to make peace with the Goths letting them keep all booty and captives not only allowing some to settle in Thrace and Moesia, but having to make yearly payments for them to stay away. In June 252 he began persecuting Christians. Bishop of Rome Cornelius was executed in June 253. There were revolts in Anatolia and Syria and the Persians invaded sacking much of Syria. In a battle with an usurper in August 253 the usurper and Gallus were killed. In October 253 Valerian succeeded Gallus. His reign was one of fighting invaders.

Over the preceding two hundred years the Germanic Goths had slowly migrated south from the Baltic Sea to the northern shores of the Black Sea. Having to fight the Romans on the borders proved cost a lot of lives. So in 255 they launched seaborne raids, making unsuccessful attack on the city of Pityus (PD Pitsunda, Georgia). In 256 they tried seaborne raids again, successfully sacking Pityus, as well as ravaging Trabzon in the Roman province of Pontus (Black Sea NE coast of Anatolia). The worst was in 257 when they devastated large areas of Bithynia (NE Anatolia) and the Sea of Marmara, sacking the cities of Chalcedon, Nicomedia, Nicaea, Apamea Myrlea, Cius and Bursa. By the end of the seaborne raids the Goths had seized control over Crimea and the Bosporus and captured several cities on the Black Sea coast including Olbia and Tyras, which enabled them to engage in widespread naval activities.

In 257 Valerian issued edicts persecuting Christians and pushed the Persians out of Syria. In 258 while he was fighting the Persians, his son and co-emperor, Gallienus, was keeping peace along the Rhine. Gallienus son, Valerian II, was sent to provide an imperial presence along the Danube. Valerian II died under mysterious circumstance and when Gallienus attempted to demote the governor, he rebelled declaring himself emperor. Gallenius stripped men from his legions along the Rhine to march to the Danube in early 259 to successfully crush the revolt. Long festering resentment of the Romans by the Alemanni and Juthingi, a Bavarian tribe, living along the Rhine, erupted in open rebellion with German auxiliaries joining the populace to rout their much reduced arrogant Roman occupiers. They defeated or pushed the Romans out of the three Roman mostly Germanic provinces and moved with their families to attack Rome itself crossing the Alps at the Brenner, Reschen and Poeninus Mons passes.

This led some of them right past Barmaz while proceeding through the upper Rhone valley past Monthey. With the exception of Clan Corvo all but 5% of the population in the valley were Romanized native Celts who had lived in the valley for over six hundred years. The only invasion they had ever faced was by the Romans nearly 300 years before when they became part of the Roman Empire. They had never faced a barbarian invasion. The non Celtic residents were Roman transplants including a few Senatorial families. The vast majority of the Celtic population lived just above subsistence levels. There was a small lower middle class in the towns and villages with a larger middle class a smattering of upper middle class in Forum Claudii Vallensium. The real kicker was that the few senatorial estates owned 90% of the prime farmland.

Fortunately Raben was in Barmaz when he learned of the Alemanni march so he headed out to meet the Alemanni at Lac Leman. Many of the leaders recognized Raben from his border trip twenty one years previously. They all knew he was the Demon Slayer so they were not surprised to see he had not changed. As such he had little difficulty explaining that it was in their best long term interests not to destroy the farms and settlements in the upper Rhone river valley. While they took supplies from the farmers they left enough for them to survive and continue farming.

The senatorial estates, specifically their extravagant mansions, were sacked and burned. None of the senators were present but they did have family there. The few who resisted were killed, the rest taken to be ransomed or sold as slaves. Raben let it be known he would purchase any captives intended for ransom or sale as slaves. This proved too good an opportunity for the traveling Alemanni to pass up. They would get immediate cash without the responsibility of feeding, transporting, and guarding the prisoners, especially the pampered elite. Raben bought them all, took them into Barmaz with orders that the Clan Corvo keep them comfortable. He had them write letters to the senatorial heads of their family.

With those letters Raben accompanied the Alemanni over the mountains. Fortunately by this time the entire route over Poeninus Mons had been widened and paved by the Romans. As they traveled Raben urged the Alemanni leaders not sack the countryside but to peacefully march on Rome to bring their frustrations before the Senate. Otherwise the Roman backlash would be unforgiving. While the leaders recognized the wisdom of the advice, after crossing the Alps they proved unable to hold pack their people once they saw the richness of the farms, vineyards, estates and cities. The fertile Po River Valley proved irresistible and was ransacked.

Raben shook his head, leaving them as he continue unmolested onward to Rome. The Roman Senate panicked, organizing an army of citizens to support Rome’s Praetorian Guard as they headed north in an effort to stop the invasion. The improvised army succeeded in stopping the Alemanni forces just north of Rome but did not defeat them. The invaders returned north to further plunder the Po valley.

Raben headed into Rome seeking the Senators whose estates had been ransacked in the Upper Rhone Valley. It was common knowledge amongst those senators that Raben had established an enclave for his Clan Corvo in Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae and that he was maternally descended from Germans which explained why his holdings hadn’t been plundered. They were more than grateful to learn their families had been saved from slavery by Raben’s intervention as the letters indicated.

With the Alemanni still ravaging the Po valley, there was no way the senators could return to their estates nor could Raben bring their families to them. The senators already owed Raben for ransoming their families and now they were obliged to pay for their upkeep in addition to rebuilding their estates. Raben wisely pointed out the repeated attacks across the borders of the Roman Empire had been growing more numerous and the legions were simply stretched too far to prevent such incursions. The Senators were only too aware of that truth. Thus when Raben offered to buy their destroyed estates using the ransom and upkeep of their families as part of the price, they eagerly accepted. The Senators needed the cash Raben offered to start local estates.

The senators were glad to be rid of the headache of foreign estates and get their family back. They didn’t know it had only been their personal estate homes that had been ravaged, not their surrounding farms and fields. Raben neglected to inform them of that fact or that their ransomed families had been too terrified to notice. Thus, in one fell swoop Raben snapped up 90% of the land in the fertile upper Rhone river valley.

While Raben was busy buying the land, Gallenius organized his legions and set out from the Danube for Italy, catching the much larger Alemanni force disorganized and by surprise. The cavalry forces thundered into the spread out and disorganized Alemanni forces. Since the Alemanni had to protect their families they couldn’t organize or mass to resist the mobile cavalry. They were herded and harassed until with their families, they were caught with their backs against Ticino River. They realized the only way they could seek better ground on which to fight would be to abandon their families who were certain to be taken by the Romans. The smaller disciplined Roman force crushed the distracted 60,000 Alemanni warriors. This was the Battle of Mediolanum (Milan) where 300,000 Alemanni were killed or captured. Those captured, about 270,000, were to be sold into slavery.

Raben traveled north from Mazbar to the holding camps. The captured 30,000 warriors were separated and sent to markets where strong slaves for heavy labor were wanted. It was the old men, old women and children no one wanted. The old would be difficult to train and not really worth the effort. The young children needed too much care and would take scarce resources until they reached workable ages. As for the women and children between those extremes, there were vastly more than the market could bear causing the prices to plummet to near worthlessness. After much negotiating and the promise not to put them on the market at a later date, Raben wrangled a cheap price for the entire lot.

A rider was dispatched over the Poeninus Mons telling them to prepare for the influx of people, to purchase as much food as they could to hold them over the winter. Buying rations for 240,000 people for two weeks as well as wagons and draft animals cost as much as what Raben spent buying the captive Alemanni.

“Some of you know that I am the Demon Slayer,” Raben addressed the gathered captives in a voice that carried across the crowd. “The Romans have sold your warriors into slavery, just as they intend to sell you into slavery. It took a great deal of negotiating but I have purchased all of you from the Romans. You are now MY slaves. You are no longer free people. Your allegiance to the Alemanni is broken. You are mine. I determine whether you live or die.”

The looks of despair and hopelessness seemed universal amongst the captives.

“It is my intent to take you back to my home in Barmaz which you passed on your way here,” Raben declared. “You burned the Roman Estates and captured their families to ransom or sell as slaves. I purchased them to use as ransom to purchase the destroyed Roman Estates, which I have done. I now own most of the land on the other side of the mountains. I will settle you on that land amongst the native Celtic peoples. If you cooperate, families will be allowed to stay together. Since I own you, you are now part of MY clan, the Clan Corvo. I will spread you out to farm the land. I can tell you I’ll need to purchase even more land so we can support ourselves. We will be setting out tomorrow to cross the mountains. We’ll need to travel rapidly since the winter snows usually close the Poeninus Mons in mid October. That gives us just 2 weeks. As we travel I will talk to each of you. You know I am an Ianuarian. In addition to being the Demon Slayer I am also an Acolyte of Ianuaria herself. I am the only living person she has visited. She granted me the ability to speak with animals and in all languages. I also received the ability to detect lies. I expect each of you to swear fealty to me and the Clan Corvo before Ianuaria. Any who refuse will remain slaves. I will kill any who make a false oath or break their oath.”

Raben looked about the assembled people. Most were confused. They had lost all hope of freedom but now had the chance to be free. The cost was a oath of fealty to the Demon Slayer, whom they respected but also feared. However they knew he was honest and honorable.

“We move out at dawn,” Raben declared. “Think deeply before you pledge fealty. I will know if you do so deceitfully and kill you on the spot.”

In the morning Raben immediately set out with the mass of humanity. The pace was tough and their spirits confused. Raben warned them to keep moving or freeze to death in the high mountains. The first snows of the coming winter began to fall by the time they crested Poeninus Mons. The last of the ragged, dispirited mass of humanity reached Barmaz by the end of October. The captive ex-Alemanni understood Raben had their best interests at heart. That they had an avenue to escape slavery gave them hope and strength. They knew they could trust the Demon Slayer. All pledged fealty to Raben and the Clan Corvo. Although he could sense doubt in some, none were killed

When Raben and the new members of the Clan Corvo moved into the upper Rhone valley, word quickly spread through the impoverished Celtic populus that Raben had purchased the Roman Estates from the Senators. The land upon which they lived and farmed was now owned by the Demon Slayer. Raben began distributing the Alemanni amongst the residents, doubling, sometimes tripling, the number of people in each household. The hard core Alemanni were settled inside Barmaz amongst his people just to make sure they understood their fealty. Food supplies were shared and additions made to homes and barns. Wagons were sent out around Lac Leman to purchase additional food for the massive influx of people.

The land around the south shore of Lac Leman had been settled by the Celtic Nantuatae tribe including up the upper Rhone river valley to the point it narrows just above Monthey. The rest of the upper Rhone valley had been settled by the Celtic Seduni tribe. The area south of Geneva at the western end of Lac Leman and east of the Rhone was settled by the Celtic Allobroges tribe. All three tribes had been conquered by the Romans during the times of Julius Ceasar and his successors. The tribes were not supplanted by the Romans, and after their initial conquest, stayed on the land in relative peace.

The massive influx of people was too much to absorb on the limited lands of the province Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae, more farmland was needed. With the purchase of the Roman Senatorial Estates, Raben now owned most of the land of the Seduni and the Nantuatae. To expand his land he set out exploring the land to the west of Barmaz and south of Lac Leman, what remained of the Nantuatae an that of the Allobroges. Many of the farms were subsistence level like he had bought in Barmaz. The better farmland was owned by absentee Senatorial landlords. Raben knew he could deal with the subsistence farms as he had done in Barmaz. The tougher deal would be to buy out the Roman Estates.

The elders spearheaded Raben’s efforts to integrate the newest members of the Clan Corvo into the base population. Since there was a definite lack of men amongst the newcomers, to the tune of 60,000, Raben wanted the men related to him to take up to 4 additional wives and have children with them. This would solidify the integration, tying the them to the Clan Corvo. The wives were not happy with the arrangement but understood the reality requiring it. They all knew if the Demon Slayer wanted something for the betterment of the Clan Corvo, he got it. The scribes of Corvus Scriptorium made the rounds drawing up lineage lists and charts of the former Alemanni.

The turmoil in the empire continued unabated. The fact the Alemanni invasion had swept past Barmaz made Raben realize additional steps would be needed to keep his home safe. Reluctantly he set up a militia. Beginning at age thirteen all residents of Barmaz, male and female, were required to join the Clan Corvo militia to train in military disciplines. Each year everyone reaching thirteen that year gathered for a two month long boot camp. For the Initial boot camp all unmarried teens over thirteen attended. After completing boot camp everyone would attend a two day training session once every four weeks with sessions held every week for 1/4 of those eligible, including during the winter. Adults would be trained by attending separate two day every four week camps with two sessions a week for 1/8 of the adults. They were trained in hand to hand combat as well as archery, sword, spear, and javelin use. In addition, during times of slack workload, residents were put to work adding to the walls on the border making them higher and wider with a step for the defenders to stand upon. To obtain the stone for the wall they excavated a wide road behind the wall as well as the slope below the outside of the wall to an angle of 75°. In addition as they needed lumber they cut down the trees for 500 hundred feet outside of the wall to provide a clear line of sight. Future plans called for removing all potential places of cover in the cleared zone.

In addition, the Torrent des Cretes joined the east side of the Vieze about 1500 feet north of Val D’Illez. The Cretes first 1500 feet upstream rose 825 feet above the Vieze. The slope increased even more sharply as it’s valley narrowed. A tunnel would be dug to divert the stream. A sturdy sluice gate would be built to regulate the discharge. An Immense stone dam 325 feet high would be built across the V shaped valley that was 10 feet wide at the bottom but 500 feet at the top to create a reservoir 600 feet long. The water could be used to flush the Vieze if invaders attempted to attack beneath the boundary bridge. During normal times more mills would be built to utilize the redirected normal water discharge.

The Alemanni's success in reaching into the heart of Rome revealed the weakness inherent in keeping the legions near the borders. The Battle of Mediolanum demonstrated to the Romans the value of swift, flexible military units. Gallienus introduced a highly mobile field army composed mainly of cavalry headquartered in Mediolanum to be a back up line of defense in case the borders were breached. The fact the Senate had raised and armed a militia upset the emperor. The senators were trying to regain authority by arming and commanding its own military forces to meet the Germanic threat. Uncomfortable with this challenge to his power, Gallienus harshly suppressed all the Senate's military prerogatives.

Once the Germanic tribes crossed the Alps, the chaos abated amongst the remaining battered Roman troops in Gaul. They were able to regroup under their commander, Postumus. When the Juthingi fled north with their booty and captives through the Reshen and Brenner passes they ran into the regrouped legions and were soundly defeated. Instead of returning the Juthingi booty and captives, Postumus let his soldiers have the spoils of their raid as a reward for their loyalty. The happy troops proclaimed Postumus Emperor and killed the son of Gallienus who had been left in command. Postumous realized he could never take Rome so chose to create the Gallic Empire which included the territories of Germania, Gaul and Britannia. Postumus never made an attempt to advance on Rome itself concentrating on maintaining control of the Rhine border. The emperor was furious that his son had been killed. Unfortunately he was stretched too thin to even consider mounting a campaign.

The ongoing fighting with the Persians reached a crescendo in early 260. The Persians captured Valerian and his army in battle ending his reign. He was kept prisoner until his death about four years later. With Valerian's capture more revolts broke out forcing Gallienus to put out the fires, further postponing efforts to crush Postumus.

While the Roman Empire trembled beneath the border threats along the Danube, the Persians in the east and rebellions of usurpers like Postumus in Gaul, Barmaz, Mazbar, and Zamrab flourished due to Raben’s wise guidance to avoid politics. The fact that Mazbar and Zamrab were readily accessible yet several miles away from their city and were nearly self-sufficient allowed them to avoid the major drama. In the east the Persians pushed deeper into Roman territory. While most of the provincial leadership rebelled the leader of Palmyra remained loyal. With the Persians threatening the city he was declared king, forming an army of Palmyrenes and Syrian peasants to counterattack. Expecting an easy victory the Persians were stunned and decisively defeated.

During the winter of 259-260 Raben made arrangements for wagons to make the trip over the Alps into Rome delivering the families of the Senators and picking up much needed food. The plans called for a wagon train of 60 vehicles and a 120 horses or mules plus mounted guards. The ransomed senatorial families packed their meager possessions. Raben set out for Rome as the Poenninus Mons was freed from the snows. Upon arriving in the Po valley May the news of Valerian's defeat and capture reached Rome. The guards and teamsters took the wagons to Rome. Raben accompanied them to ensure all made it safely to their destinations thus fulfilling his end of the upper Rhone river valley Senatorial estate purchases and earning the thanks of the senators. The wagons returned to Barmaz filled with food.

Raben stayed on to speak with the Senators who owned the Estates south of the Lac Leman and the east of the Rhone below Geneva. Those Senators were quite aware of the sacking of the Senatorial Estates along the upper Rhone. The fears that future incursions could ruin their estates was very real. Their area was part of Gaul thus under the control of the Usrper Postumus. They knew of Raben, Corvus Scriptorium and that he was of mixed Celtic/Germanic race thus avoided his holdings being plundered by the Alemanni. They were aware his grandparents had accompanied Severus to Caledonia and that his mother had been forced to serve as chief physician for Elgalabalus. So when Raben talked to them about buying their estates outright, they leapt at the opportunity to rid themselves of the foreign headache. With his profitable businesses and his tremendous earnings/windfall from investments during the Egalabalus reign, the costs of buying the estates, while high, still left him one of the top 5 wealthiest people in the Roman Empire.

As the summer of 260 ended Raben decided to return to Barmaz. The Alemanni, who had absorbed his scattered birth clan, were now being absorbed into the Clan Corvo. The fact he rescued 240,000 of them from slavery made them quite loyal. Although it was common amongst the Germanic tribes to assist those in need, no one had ever done what the Clan Corvo had done in absorbing nearly 20 times their number. That’s not to say everything was rosy, but they were free and had hope for the future. They were also under the protection of the Demon Slayer. Many were relocated to his new estates along the Avre, La Laire, Nant de Longet, Nant de Vosogne, Ruisseau de Couvatannaz, Ruisseau de Parnant, Les Usses, Le Fier, Canal de Savieres, Le Flon et La Lone, Le Guiers and the Isere above the Bourne.

The new year began a period of deep contemplation for the eternal youth. The year 261 was quite significant for the Ianuarian. It was the centenary of his birth. Raben was 100 years old, an age virtually unheard of at that time. The Clan Corvo celebrated his milestone birthday at their annual spring equinox gathering. Raben laughed and sang, played the flute and the pandura, sharing music and instruments from the varied areas of his travels. That brought up another area that needed to be saved for posterity, music. Letters were sent to Mazbar and Zamrab requesting they begin collecting any and all written music. Another went to the musician guild in Rome asking them to attempt to establish a standard system for written music. The design of musical instruments would also be needed: dimensions, materials, methods of play as well as detailed descriptions of construction. With a smile he realized there was a lot to do over the next hundred years. There was no way he could become bored with life... which was a good thing.

The perpetually prepubescent teen spent much of the year in quiet reflection. The gaining of the Curse. Becoming the Demon Slayer. Gaining Barmaz. Outliving everyone he loved. Watching the family he loved age and die ripped him apart. His own violent painful death and resurrection. His ordeal floating for days in the sea. Knowing that if he allowed someone to slay him as he had done to Marcellus Longinus he’d be passing the Curse to another was unacceptable. The frustration of being an eternal adolescent. The frustration of being intersex. The satisfaction of being an extraordinary Ianuarian. The guilt of being an extraordinary warrior with 281 kills. His life was an unwanted dichotomy that he could not escape. More importantly, he didn’t want to escape his fate. The visit from Ianuaria showed him he was favored by the Gods. But what about Jesus? Was he the son of the one True God? The faith of Christianity seemed well suited for his lifestyle. The problem came with the religion of Christianity. Faith was man looking to heaven for guidance, religion was man dragging God to earth, attempting to cage God inside rules they create.

His thoughts turned to the future. He had no doubts Rome would fall, when was still the question. The invading barbarians would eventually overwhelm the Roman corruption and entrenched hierarchy. However the invaders were not really barbarians, nor would it all be an armed invasion. They were people with a different civilization, oft times at odds with that of Rome. The reality was that whenever different civilizations met, both adopted from the other forever changing both... hopefully for the better.

Rome began over a thousand years before as an insignificant band of Latin speaking farmers who had recently moved from a nomadic hunter/gathering lifestyle to a settled agriculture based life along the fertile flood plains along the Tiber River. Their transitional success changed their tribal life. Being well fed they not only lived longer lives but more of their children reached adulthood. Their population quickly swelled outgrowing their ability to support themselves. They needed more land to farm so set out taking land from their less successful neighbors. Thus Rome grew to become the Roman Empire.

The same was happening to the Germans. They were well along in the process of transitioning from hunter/gathering with a bit of farming to primarily farming, copying from the Romans, and their population swelled. Since the start of the Roman Empire immigrants trickled across the porous borders. Craftsmen sought better markets, laborers wanted honest employment, warriors enlisted in the Roman military, tribal leaders purchased land for their people inside the empire just as Raben had done for his family. Of course there were also marauders who burned, looted, raped and murdered.

The Gauls were of Celtic descent. They had been conquered by Rome and were Romanized. Now along the Rhine River the Franks were pushing across the borders of the North Sea coastal areas as the remaining Alemanni continued stirring further south. Any who conquered Rome would be at least partially Romanized. Unfortunately it looked like there would be many conquerors since none were strong enough on their own. They would slowly whittle down and fracture the empire.

Raben’s efforts in building the archives would save Roman, Greek, Persian, Egyptian and other ancient knowledge from being lost. He had the Persian and Egyptian documents forwarded to Barmaz. Translating those documents helped him relax. He even created lexicons translating those written languages into Greek and Latin so others might be able to do translations although at a much slower and possibly inaccurate manner. Once he made a translation in Latin or Greek, other scribes copied it. The original document along with his original translation were placed in the archives.

The key to preserving the invaluable archives was the Barmaz Bailiwick, tucked off the beaten path without enough natural resources to make it worthwhile to plunder yet close enough to keep abreast of the outside world. It was up to Raben to keep Barmaz safe, to provide a sanctuary for his growing Clan Corvo and to keep the old knowledge alive and relevant for the future.

He had to plan for how quickly the Clan Corvo was growing. By rescuing the Alemanni they had most definitely outgrown the Barmaz Bailiwick. The terrain made it difficult to expand the walled area. The Clan was expanding into the upper Rhone river valley of which the clan already owned 90% thanks to Raben’s wise intervention during the Alemanni incursion. Raben instructed his people in Barmaz to purchase any additional land that might become available. As had become his practice, he set easy rental and loan terms for those who lived on, worked, and owned the land he might purchase. The same would apply to those who owned shops and businesses in the villages as he slowly bought that land. As the Clan Corvo grew, they would replace or marry into those shop and business owning families.

The dynamics of the empire were constantly morphing. In Rome’s beginning the Curiales were the leading members of the city of Rome with roles both civil and sacred. Curiales were expected to procure funds for public building projects, temples, festivities, games, and local welfare systems. They would often pay for these expenses out of their own pocket as a means to increase their personal prestige. The Curiales were also responsible for the collection of Imperial taxes, provide food and board for the army and support the imperial post. As the empire spread so did the Curiales. By this time Curiales were the merchants, businessmen, and mid-level landowners who served as local magistrates. Problems began as the taxes rose. The Curiales were responsible for the taxes accessed. If they were unable to collect them from their neighbors, they came from their own pockets. Even worse, they could not escape their responsibilities.

Those at the top of society, the elite senators with their profitable estates, were exempt from the increasingly onerous taxes. The smaller landowners and businessmen bore the tax burden. If unable to pay they had to borrow. The only ones who had money to loan were the wealthy who demanded security for the loans. If the loans defaulted, they took over the property indenturing or enslaving the debtors, thus becoming richer and pushing the tax burden on the remaining taxpayers. The rich became richer while the poor became poorer as the middle class shrank.

Recognizing this looming trap, Raben decided he had to get back into politics, only this time on HIS terms. Just before the snows closed the Poeninus Mons he returned to Rome. Gallienus was collecting troops to move against Postumus. A revolt in Asia by Valerian’s surviving generals forced a delay as some troops were sent to crush the revolt. Using his position as both a noted physician and owner of the well known and respected Corvus Scriptorium, Raben offered his services as physician, identifying himself as the grandson of Severus’ personal physician during the Caledonian campaign.

Raben easily inserted himself into the imperial entourage. Gallienus learned to appreciate the young man’s medical prowess keeping him nearby. In 263 Gallienus finally went after Postumus. Although trapping him, his cavalry allowed him to escape and gather new forces. During a second campaign in 265 he surrounded Postumus in Augusta Treverorum [PD Trier]. During the siege, Gallienus moved closer to the front to look for a suitable location to assault. To avoid detection he only took a few men rather than his regular guard relying on the siege troops for protection.

The besieged forces recognized the emperor and launched an immediate attack. Sallying forth, they swept toward the emperor and his small entourage. With temporary superiority they broke through the lines. Raben was swept up in the short but brutal fight. Keeping by the emperor’s side he killed nine of the desperate attackers. As legion reinforcements poured in, the sally force retreated to the city. Arrows flew from both sides with Gallienus being severely wounded by an arrow. Raben leapt from his horse landing behind the wounded emperor keeping the man from falling off his horse. Using his ability to communicate with animals he urged the horse to flee, guiding the horse to the emperors tent.

With his medical expertise Raben was able to save the severely wounded Gallienus. Unable to lead his troops, he withdrew his forces allowing the Gallic Empire to continue. The emperor knew Raben had saved his life and asked what he wanted as a reward. The Ianuarian knew what he wanted.

When they reached Rome, Gallienus issued an imperial decree not only declaring Raben Corvo a Roman Senator, but making it an hereditary position within the Clan Corvo. As a Senator, Raben and his successors were exempt from imperial taxes. Once Gallienus recovered, Raben once more left the imperial service. By this time he understood he could no longer avoid Roman politics. The best he could do was to be proactive and attempt to control his involvement.

In December he set sail for Egypt, arriving just after the new year. The stability of the entire region was even worse than that in Rome. While the governor of Palmyra had driven the Persians back they were not fully defeated. Much of Anatolia was a mess with frequent seaborne incursions from the Goths and others crossing the Black Sea. The Goths penetrated in the Aegean Sea and the eastern Mediterranean in the area between the Bosporus and Egypt. Roman authority had crumbled with local people doing their best to retain the civilization being part of the empire had engendered.

By then Zamrab had grown into the mostly self-sufficient settlement Raben had envisioned. The plans for the settlement consisted of buildings built three stories tall with the first floor dedicated to barns or businesses with living quarters above. Being away from the intrigues and gossip of Alexandria allowed them to flourish. As he had done in Barmaz he decided the people needed to learn how to defend themselves. Up to this point the manager of Corvus Scriptorium had been overseeing the settlement. There was growing evidence the system wasn’t working but had yet to implode. To avoid that Raben set up a Council of Elders as he had in Barmaz. The scriptorium manager, now just a member of the elder council, was thus freed to concentrate on using his expertise on the scriptorium.

At a mass meeting Raben explained the need for a dependable defensive force. Many residents didn’t want to be a part of the militia. Like most people to this day they understood the need to have a security force but didn’t want to participate.

“I understand your reluctance to be part of our militia,” Raben addressed them. “Unfortunately with the unsettled times having a local militia has become a necessity. I have instituted a mandatory militia in my primary home at Barmaz where much of my family lives. Starting at age thirteen females as well as males are required to learn how to use weapons and serve in the militia. You know I have family here as well as in Mazbar so they, male and female, will be part of the militia like everyone else. Having a militia here is not an option so all will join. As such you have a choice, join the militia or move away. If you choose to move, you will lose your job. We have many former legionaries amongst us so they can train us. Yes US! When Fiach or I am here we are part of OUR militia!”

There was nothing to be said after that. Everyone knew that Raben and Fiach had excellent martial prowess. The fact his family was committed to the militia meant there would be no exceptions. They could accept or leave. None left. Raben spent the next year securing weapons and setting up the Zamrab militia.

The eastern Zamrab boundary followed the eastern distributary of the Nile River which had been channelized to be a shipping and irrigation canal. The Nile distributary was 200 feet wide as it passed the property. At the northeast corner of the property the waterway made a 45° turn to the northeast. The waterway ran south from that point for 1 1/2 miles then made a 90 turn to the east with a radius of 1 mile. The land Raben had purchased for Zamrab was roughly 2 miles by 2 miles. Thus the eastern boundary of Zamrab followed the waterway including a 1/2 mile section on the outside of the 1 mile radius of the 90 waterway turn in the southeastern corner.

Raben purchased thirty slaves using them to dig a channel 10 feet deep by 200 feet wide along the boundary with quarter mile radius 90° turns on the southwest and northwest corners. Smaller irrigation canals were dug to supply water for the farmland. The entire compound was surrounded by 200 feet of water too deep to walk through. A sturdy stone retaining wall with a 1 foot lip was constructed on the outside of the canal while the inner retaining wall was topped by a stone fortification wall 10 feet high. Keeping it dredged would be an ongoing job.

In February 267 Raben returned to Mazbar. Business for Corvus Construction was booming. It had attracted the best architects and engineers, work was done correctly, with good materials, on time and on cost. It had become the premier builder in the vicinity of Rome. Treatises were written on engineering and architecture with mathematical tables to figure out loads and spans for various materials. Formulas for different types of concrete were recorded. The books were copied and sold by Corvus Scriptorium.

Raben met with the musicians of Rome, hiring five, each skilled with different instruments, to create a consistent system of musical notation. Room was set up in the Mazbar office of Corvus Scriptorium for them to work.

Concern about the multiple attempts of the barbarians to reach Rome as well the many coup attempts Raben decided the walls of Mazbar needed major reinforcing. He set Corvus Construction to that task demanding walls 40 feet high and 25 feet wide with one entrance located at the base of the toe by the former quarry where a sturdy gatehouse would be built overlooked by the heights of the to be fortified hilltop of the toe of Mons Vaticanus. The walls of the hilltop were to be reinforced with sturdy warehouse/barns. At the two western corners watchtowers 10 feet higher than the wall were to be built. An additional tower was to be built in the middle of each east/west wall. A tower was to be built in each corner of the toe. As at Barmaz and Zamrab, those living there were to be trained as militia. The Mazbar work was to be done during slack times. With that effort underway he left in May to return to Barmaz.

For the next two years Raben began the next phase to secure Barmaz. The militia was well trained and capable. The boundary walls were built to 10 feet thick at the base and 12 feet high with a step 4 feet wide 4 feet below the 2 feet wide crenelated top. A wide road was to be built behind the wall to provide easy troop and supply movement. Where possible the area outside the walls was cleared to the bedrock to create glacis of at least 75° and wherever possible a height of 300 feet. Watchtowers 20 feet by 20 feet square 10 feet higher than the wall were built at least every 500 feet, closer if the view was not all encompassing. The ground below the glacis was stripped of topsoil and cut smooth to the bottom of the slope. In areas where the wall crossed saddles or ridges the area outside the walls was to be cut down to create a depth of 300 feet with a width of 500 feet.

In 268 Gallienus had been fighting Goth invaders in Thrace who avoided the Danube border by sailing from northern Black Sea ports through the Bosporus into the Aegean Sea where many islands were ravaged. He’d dealt them a major defeat but was unable to follow up due to another usurper revolt in Italy that forced him to return to Rome to put it down only to be assassinated in Milan. His second in command, Claudius II, became the new emperor and crushed the usurper’s rebellion. At the same time Emperor Postumus' of the Gallic Empire was assassinated. Also by that time Palmyra had created its own Empire but was still nominally under Rome.

The resurgent Alemanni were once more creating issues in Raetia and crossed through the Brenner and Reschen passes into northern Italy. Claudius II crushed them in a battle at Lake Garda then returned to the Balkans to crush the Goths. Knowing the Roman forces were depleted, the Goths decided to attack, their first attempt to directly invade Italy. They met at the Battle of Naissus in Serbia. Aurelian, who was in charge of all Roman cavalry during Claudius' reign, led the decisive attack. The Roman troops pursued the fleeing survivors hoping to utterly destroy them. Some survivors were resettled within the empire, while others were incorporated into the Roman army.

Unfortunately the plague once more appeared in the camps and the battle desolated areas killing thousands including, in January 270, Claudius II. Aurelian completed the destruction of the Goths. Quintillus, the brother of Claudius II claimed the throne and was approved by the senate. The military refused to accept him, declaring Aurelian emperor in September 270. Quintillus promptly committed suicide.

Raben left Barmaz in October 269, spent a month in Mazbar, then sailed to Zamrab. Once more the political situation was in turmoil. The Palmyrene Empire was flexing its muscles under the auspices of the regent, mother of the child emperor who succeeded his father, founder of the empire. Palmyra occupied Palestine. The Roman legions in Egypt were weakened by a lack of recruits and having units siphoned away to fight the Goths. Raben decided to stay to shepherd Zamrab through the chaos.

In 270 the Goths devastated the provinces of the lower Danube and sacked some cities. On Aurelian’s march to the East to reintegrate the Palmyrene Empire to the Roman Empire, he drove the Goths out of the empire and then followed them over the Danube further defeating them. After his victory over the Palmyrene Empire, he carried with him Gothic women dressed as Amazons and a chariot, pulled by four stags. Despite his victory Aurelian abandoned the cross Danube province of Dacia. Aurelian had frightened off the Gothic menace from the empire for a century however they were not destroyed eating up the vacated lands in Dacia.

While the Roman prefect of Egypt was away fighting the Gothic pirates in Crete, in October 270 a Palmyrene army of 70,000 invaded Egypt defeating the 50,000 garrison troops and allies outside Cairo. Knowing the Palmyrenes would disregard him because of his size and seemingly youth, Raben decided to take advantage of that dismissal by adding to it. He headed to the Alexandrian harbor to ‘meet’ his sister, Fiach, who would be staying while Raben returned to Rome. As the Palmyrenes marched on Alexandria Fiach made her way to Zamrab avoiding the fleeing citizens of the about to be occupied city. Needless to say the people of Zamrab were not pleased to see the exchange feeling Raben was fleeing.

“Do you really think my twin brother would have left me here if he was fleeing?” Fiach laughed at their fears. “We had arranged our exchange months ago. For us it’s simply business as usual. Besides, I can fight just as well as Raben. Maybe even better since most men underestimate a small girl like me even more than they do a small guy like Raben. Their preconceived notions work to my advantage. If it comes to a fight, they will pay dearly.”

Several fleeing upper class Alexandrian families came up the distributary canal seeking asylum to avoid the Palmyrene plundering. Fiach made it clear they would need to pay heavily for their stay and join the militia. Most continued on their way. The Zamrabians used their available boats to stop every vessel passing by. Those with foodstuffs were purchased, forcibly if needed, and brought inside the defenses, the crews were paid a fair price for their wares, then allowed to leave or to join the garrison. Seeing the smoke rising from the sacking of Alexandria, most joined. The population nearly doubled as people living on nearby farms and estates flocked to the only defensible place for miles about. The new arrivals, whether the wealthy, farmers or boatmen, received intensive basic militia training.

A few days after taking Alexandria a force of 300 foraging Palmyrenes rode out of the city reaching Zamrab in the late afternoon. Most were on the east bank of the distributary with only a few scouting the west bank with a handful of boats to cross back and forth as needed. Fiach had all but one small boat hauled into the papyrus swamp and the militia stood on the walls. The citizens of Zamrab were terrified but prepared. The main cavalry unit gathered across the waterway from the scriptorium. The two sides eyed each other for nearly an hour as the scouts rode around the other sides of Zamrab. Dispatch riders headed back to the city as the unit set up camp.

The next day a bit before lunch a significantly larger force arrived, probably close to 5000 soldiers. Other than watchful outriders, they dismounted moving the horses away from the waterway. An hour after lunch Fiach had herself rowed across, with the small boat heading out to mid stream as soon as she stepped ashore to meet with the invaders.

The Palmyrene commander disdainfully looked her up and down seeing she wore spiked gloves and gauntlets and a leather cloak. “Are the people in your city so afraid they send a little girl to talk for them?”

“This is Zamrab, not a city. This is the Egyptian branch of Corvus Scriptorium. We are a peaceful self sufficient community of scribes and we have little of value,” Fiach smiled.

“Peaceful! Surrounded by stone fortifications with armed guards on the walls?” the leader sneered. “If you have nothing of value why are you ready to fight?”

“I said were peaceful not stupid,” Fiach grinned. “They’re not guards, they are a militia made up of the people. The reason I’m speaking to you is that I’m co-owner of Zamrab with my twin brother Raben. We have an office in Rome and another in the mountains south of Germania. He sailed to Rome a week ago, leaving on the ship upon which I arrived. Now, I’d much prefer to negotiate but as you can see I am prepared to fight.”

“We don’t negotiate with Romans,” the commander snarled. “We’ve taken all of Egypt and we want your precious Zamrab. By letting us in you can save your lives. Otherwise you’ll be killed or taken as slaves. The choice is yours.”

“We’ll just stay behind our walls and let you do as you wish with Egypt,” Fiach smirked.

“You claim you’re the owner, if we take you, your people will let us in,” the commander growled.

“Ahh, there’s the rub, isn’t it?” Fiach chuckled. “You’d have to take me. I can promise that isn’t happening!”

“You snotty little bitch! I’ll teach you a lesson you’ll never forget when I fuck you!” The man threatened with a frown and narrowed eyes. “Take her!”

“WAIT,” Fiach countermanded the order in a commanding tone while glaring at the surrounding men causing them to hesitate. “If you try to rape me, I’ll cut off your prick. If you don’t bleed to death, the only fucking you’ll be doing is taking it up your ass!”

Quite naturally this infuriated the much larger commander while shocking his troops. The insult before his men demanded instant personal action. With a roar he pulled his sword and lunged forward to grab her.

Suddenly she wasn’t there. As he sprang to her she leapt around him thrusting a knife deep into his thigh. With a bellow of enraged pain, his leg collapsed tumbling him to the ground. Fiach delivered a roundhouse kick to the man’s helmeted head as he fell. His soldiers watched with mouths agape, frozen in inaction. While he didn’t lose consciousness he was seriously disoriented and collapsed onto the ground. By the time he was fully on the ground Fiach straddled him.

With moves that looked like blurs, quick swipes severed the straps holding his armor in place, a third hewed his clothes exposing his manhood. Without hesitation she grasped his penis and testicles with one hand, yanking them away from his groin. The knife in her other hand made a surgically precise slice. Standing up she proudly displayed his severed genitals above her head. The shock of the harsh cut finally hit the stunned commander producing an ear shattering squeal.

“I warned you, asswipe,” Fiach sneered as she flung his severed manhood into the water. “The only fucking you’ll be doing is taking it up the ass! Now, since this idiot is out of the way, who’s next in command?”

All eyes turned to look at the man who was just as shocked as all the others. Seething with outrage he drew his sword bellowing, “Kill the bitch!”

That snapped the elastic holding the soldiers unmoving. Yells of outrage accompanied the drawing of swords. With lightening speed and finesse Fiach drew a second knife and charged into their midst before they could organize. With cat like agility she danced through the crowded Palmyrene soldiers slashing and stabbing.

The soldiers quickly got in each others way as those on the outside of the scrum pushed to the center. Those in the center were too close to do other than ineffectually jab with their swords. Being shorter and with her knowledge of anatomy, Fiach easily reached beneath the armor skirts to slash femoral arteries. Men screamed in pain unable to even drop in the surging mass of soldiers as they rapidly bled out. The blood and bodies only added to the chaos as Fiach moved in an increasing spiral virtually unhindered striking equally effectively with both hands. The Palmyrenes could see nothing, certainly not the short she devil they’d unwittingly released. The screams of the dying masked orders and attempts at organization. It was five minutes before a trumpet tattoo echoed over the bedlam. The troops obeyed the recall pulling back to reform their now ravaged formations. Fiach sprinted to the edge of the distributary before facing the confused soldiers. Between them thirty one dead or dying soldiers were on the ground along with the unit commander who had bled out.

The second in command was incandescent as he looked between the casualties and the gory blood covered wide eyed smiling eager girl in disbelief. While breathing hard she was not panting nor did she appear to be injured. That terrified him as it did the soldiers.

When he pulled himself together he eyed Fiach then took a deep breath. “What are you?”

“Back home my twin brother and I are known as Demon Slayers,” Fiach answered. “We’re both skilled Ianuarians. As such we know exactly where to land killing blows and are quite deadly. Including your men I’ve personally killed 322 people.”

The fact Fiach was fluently as well as clearly and audibly speaking the Palmyrene tongue everyone clearly understood what she said. Their unease grew... a Demon Slayer? They were fighting a
Demon slayer?

“As I said when I first stepped ashore, we at Zamrab are peaceful,” Fiach said. “However we are not sheep to be shorn. We are not afraid to defend ourselves. We are a scriptorium, as self sufficient as we can be. We live a simple life. I was NOT the aggressor! Your commander attacked ME! Then you ordered your men to attack ME! I merely defended myself! Believe me, if I were to attack you your casualties would be much higher. My people are not soldiers but I have trained them as a militia. If you attack us you will pay dearly and will win little. To put it bluntly, we are not worth what it would cost you.”

Fiach paused to let her words sink in. She could easily sense the unease of the troops as well as the indecision of the former second, now first of command.

“If I may suggest, select five men you trust,” Fiach declared. “I will give temporary access to Zamrab. They can take as long as they need to examine the compound to verify we have no wealth other than our manuscripts. Then we can live in peace while you go on your way. If you need to lay blame for the deaths, put it where it belongs, at the feet of your dead commander.”

“If what you say is true my general might want to send out others to verify our findings,” the new commander stated. “Would you be open to having others examine Zamrab?”

“Yes,” Fiach agreed. “But only five at a time will be allowed access. If your former commander had been a reasonable man this day’s carnage could easily been avoided. Make sure to tell that to your general. Now, its still early. If you can pick your representatives, we’ll go over together. They can stay over night until they’re done. We will allow a small boat with messengers to land on our docks to wait and to ferry messages back and forth. Doing it this way will show we have nothing to hide and I can’t give orders to my people to hide anything.”

The new commander could only nod his agreement. Within fifteen minutes he presented five men. Fiach signaled for her boat. The rowers were clearly nervous as they looked at Fiach but followed her directions with alacrity.

The parapets of the scriptorium were crowded with most of the population who had witnessed Fiach in action. They had been clearly stunned to see their normally quiet Ianuarian take down the clearly arrogant commander and so easily literally unman him before almost eagerly diving into the massed soldiers. The fact she’d vanished into their midst had increased their terror. All were shocked to see her not only alive but able to sprint to the waters edge leaving behind numerous bodies when the recall sounded. Now they could see was covered in blood and gore, looking like the Demon Slayer she and Raben claimed to be. They were awed by her abilities.

The tour began with the scriptorium. While the men were aware of scrolls and manuscripts, they had no idea what was involved in copying them. The well lit desks by windows, the ink pots, the reed pens, the papyrus, the vellum, the parchment... boggled their minds. The papyrus manufacturing area was eye opening. Fiach freely answered their questions. The only storage areas were for the manuscripts and associated supplies. They ate together in the watchtower as they overlooked the entirety of Zamrab.

The next day they examined the settlement freely walking into any home they wanted. They saw the citizens of Zamrab were indeed common people who had been trained to be an at best awkward self defense militia. They examined the boats and food stores. By midday were satisfied there was no wealth. The only money was what was needed for daily life and scribal supplies.

A messenger approached Fiach to inform her a column of troops was approaching from Alexandria. With the examiners she headed to the watchtower to verify the news. They were crossing the water when the troops arrived. They were greeted by the nervous former second in command. In a few minutes the large column arrived. An older man, accompanied by his personal entourage, was introduced as Zabdas, the Palmyrene commanding general. Fiach was introduced.

“Fiach... about seventy years ago my grandfather met a Fiach Loginus who was a Demon Slayer,” Zabdas stated. “She was riding to Alexandria with three men and two pack horses. The men told stories of how she’d thwarted a bandit attack on a caravan killing 28 bandits. From what he explained she was about your size and age. She was also a healer.”

“That was my grandmother and her last name was Longinus,” Fiach smiled. “She founded Zamrab. She passed her skills on, both healing and fighting. My twin brother and I are both Demon Slayers.”

“Those skills allowed you to kill 32 of my soldiers,” Zabdas nodded.

“Only because they attacked me first,” Fiach replied looking him in the eye. “Like my grandmother, I don’t like killing but I’m extremely good at doing so.”

“That’s what I’ve been told,” Zabdas agreed. “The captain was a bully but good at foraging.”

“Foraging done wrong can be dangerous,” Fiach stated. “Everyone knows an army must forage. But if too much is taken the farmers will starve and not have enough to plant new crops nor the strength to tend the crops. By over foraging you force the locals into a life and death struggle where they’ll turn on you at the first chance. Treating them decently will let them recover meaning you’ll have more cooperation.”

“That makes sense,” Zabdas nodded. “Very well, Zamrab will stand as it is, unmolested and we’ll try not to over forage.”

Zabdas took a quick tour of Zamrab then left. The people of Zamrab were amazed that Fiach had preserved them without the militia needing to fight. Fiach stayed in Barmaz to ensure things stayed unmolested.

A month later the Roman procurator and his troops returned to Alexandria from fighting the Goths on the Aegean islands. By then the Palmyrenes had only a garrison force of 5000 in Alexandria who were overwhelmed and driven out. However, as the Romans began to retake the rest of Egypt the Palmyrene forces defeated them leaving Egypt under Palmyrene control.

In 272 Aurelian led legions south from the Bosporus defeating the Palmyrenes and capturing the city of Palmyra. After capturing the Palmyrene Emperor and his Empress mother, he left a small garrison and headed towards Egypt.

Even though the Palmyrene Empire was defeated, Firmus, a wealthy businessman/general in Egypt refused to surrender knowing he had the breadbasket of Rome in his hands. He threatened to destroy Alexandria and burn the grain fields as well as the grain supply to create a situation where fields could not be replanted. The Romans were furious but sensible enough to know the man would stop at nothing to save his life so they held off attacking. Because of this Palmyra again rebelled in 273. Aurelian returned and leveled the city taking everything of value either killing or enslaving the population then marched toward Egypt.

Word reached Fiach that Firmus was about to scorch the earth as he’d promised. Gathering her weapons Fiach rushed into Alexandria arriving after dark. She had no issues sneaking over the walls and making her way to the parade square in front of Hadrian’s Palace, the occupied Roman government buildings. By dawn she was waiting on the roof of the Temple of Isis Pelusia adjacent to the parade square with her bow and several quivers.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 29: 273-285 CE: The Thebian Legion

Just after dawn 500 Palmyrene cavalry formed in the square. They carried unlit torches and buckets of burning charcoal to ignite them. Firmus emerged with his entourage to address the troops. As he spoke, gesturing for emphasis he stopped abruptly. Everyone was stunned to see the feathered end of an arrow had appeared in his mouth. As his body crumbled and twisted they could see the point was protruding from the back of his neck. His second in command was quickly down with an arrow in his heart. The troops reacted with shouting while seeking the assailant. Those on the steps with the now dead Firmus ran in panic. Six more high ranking officers were dropped before they reached cover. By then dismounted troops were rushing into the temple.

Fiach shifted her focus toward the officers of the scrambling cavalry. Ten were downed before they were able to take cover on the steps in the front of the temple. Leaning over the parapet she continued to fire into the milling troops. While shooting nearly strait down she wasn’t able to pick out the officers but each arrow hit dropping another soldier creating further chaos and terror. Those who had rushed into the temple could not find a route to the roof. None existed.

After dropping another fifteen soldiers she stood boldly and shouted. “I am the Demon Slayer! Unless you flee I will destroy you!” With that she resumed firing down into the milling soldiers. After dropping fifteen more men they broke. Some had witnessed the Demon Slayer at Zamrab, the rest had heard the tale, and they were terrified. Mounted men wrangled their steeds to push through to open air promptly breaking into a gallop to flee. With the higher ranking officers down, panic spread and more joined the flight. Other more disciplined soldiers rallied. Archers ran to the steps of the government building to begin returning fire.

By then Fiach was running low on arrows with eight left. She laughed as the archers targeted her. It was evident the archers were not marksmen, they had trained in group volley fire into charging masses rather than at a single target. Instead of seeking shelter she fired and dodged, snatching arrows that came near from the air while continuing to target them. By the time she ran out of arrows she’d dropped eighteen more archers.

By then a ladder had been found and some soldiers used it to gain access to the roof of the temple. Fiach charged them with sword and knife. Only five had clambered onto the roof when she slammed into them. The ferocity of her onslaught surprised them. They were trying to get their footing on the sloped surface as she laid into them. Two dropped with fatal wounds and one man slipped and fell screaming fifty feet to the ground. One of the fatally wounded men toppled against the ladder knocking against the man just stepping off. Both fell taking four men climbing the ladder with them. Their yells rang out. They landed on the men holding the ladder and the gathered soldiers waiting to ascend. Fiach quickly killed the remaining two men. Then tipped the empty ladder to the side sending it crashing to the ground. The man who fell against the ladder and the man he knocked off died as did one of the men on the ground and one of the other men knocked off. Six men suffered broken bones.

Fiach scrambled to the other side of the roof and began scrambling down. Chaos reigned as some tried to rally the scattered soldiers. Spilled buckets dropped burning coals throughout the area. Most landed on gravel or stone. A few bounced into flammable material. Fires erupted in several locations within two blocks of the square. In the confusion Fiach headed out of the city.

Three days later the Roman troops reached the city walls. The Palmyrenes understood they had three choices. They could die, be captured which meant enslavement, or escape. Roman ships had cut off escape by sea and they had been cut off from fleeing the city. Their only choice was to attempt to slip away in ones or twos. They still had not settled on a single commander to replace the ones Fiach had killed so they were unable to mount an organized defense. As the Romans broke through the walls the Palmyrenes tried to create chaos hoping to escape in the pandemonium. Remembering the chaos of the fires three days before they set fires throughout the city.

The Romans quickly overwhelmed the disorganized Palmyrenes with only a handful managing to escape. However one of the buildings set ablaze was the library. About a quarter of the collection was saved but the rest was gone. Fortunately, virtually all of those lost had been copied by Corvus Scriptorium and copies were safely hidden in the Barmaz archives with additional copies in the libraries of Barmaz and Mazbar.

Corvus Scriptorium did what they could to rebuild and restock the much diminished Library of Alexandria. Unfortunately it would never reach its previous prestige being only a shadow of its illustrious past.

With things settling down in Egypt, Fiach returned to Rome and Mazbar. Emperor Aurelia also headed to Rome, intent on ending the Gallic Empire. In March 274 the Roman legions met the Gallic Rhine troops in the bloody Battle of Chalons. The Gallic empire collapsed back into the Roman Empire. The surviving Gallic troops re-manned the Rhine Germanic border. Their losses severely weakened the border defense.

Throughout the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae and the Allobroges portion of Narbonensis, Raben had a reputation for being a formidable fighter and was the only senator remaining in the area. As such he and the Clan Corvo had emerged as the major political power in the area without trying to do so. Everyone knew his primary aim was to keep his clan safe which also meant keeping neighbors safe. So it was no surprise when a delegation of local shepards approached him shortly after he returned to Barmaz. The winter had been harsh and a pack of wolves had moved into the region. The numerous flocks of sheep made easy pickings for the deadly carnivores. The frightened shepards tried but didn’t have the skills nor stamina to hunt the wolves much less kill them. Raben patiently listened to their tale of woe. That they came to him pleased him since it meant they trusted him and recognized his leadership. To the shepards’ relief he promised to eliminate the threat posed by the wolves.

Raben went to the last place the wolves had been sighted, then set out alone as darkness fell. Once all light was gone, Raben let off a series of howls that were quickly answered. The shepards huddled in their homes shivered as they heard wolf howls echoing across the Alpine valleys. As Raben moved towards the pack, they moved towards him. After three hours the confused wolves warily approached the strange human who spoke their language.

“I am friend,” Raben stated in the yips and yaps as the pack surrounded him. “I am a son of Ianuaria. Many years ago I treated injured wolves.”

“Ianuaria... she is legend... so is boy who healed wolves,” the alpha male warily answered.

“It has been many generations far to the north when I healed,’ Raben answered.

“You lie... are too young,” the alpha growled.

“I do not age,” Raben sighed. “I moved here. You come, terrify other men, they want to kill you.”

“We scare them,” the alpha snarled. “We kill them if they try.”

“For now, but you kill their sheep, they will hunt you down just as you have been hunted before,” Raben answered. “If you stay you will be killed.”

“We hunt sheep.. live,” the alpha declared. “Too many men... wild animals killed... need sheep.”

“There is another way,” Raben said. “Only I can give it to you. When I called you came from the place of walls. You know there are many sheep on the other side but the walls are too high to cross. That is my hunting ground. I’ll share it with you if you follow my rules.”

The alpha cocked his head. “Why you do this?”

“Because I don’t want to kill you,” Raben answered. “I’ll have no choice but to kill all of you if you don’t come with me.”

“I’m alpha,” the wolf declared as he growled menacingly.

“I challenge you,” Raben declared.

The other wolves backed away forming a circle 20 feet across as the alpha and Raben circled. The alpha lunged snapping to grab an arm. Raben danced away grabbing the wolf by his scruff leveraging himself onto the alpha’s back wrapping his legs around the wolf’s body while an arm circled his neck all the time avoiding the twisting head and viciously snapping jaws. The entangled duo rolled about clawing and snapping for several minutes. Raben was nipped, scratched and clawed drawing blood but stubbornly clung on. After a few moments Raben was able to lock both arms about the thrashing wolf’s neck and squeeze slowly choking the fierce canis lupus lupus. After five minutes fighting the alpha wolf finally collapsed. The other wolves looked on in shock as Raben stood and howled.

Then he knelt and breathed life back into the defeated former alpha. Returning to consciousness, the defeated alpha slowly climbed to his shaky paws. His tail hung down between his rear legs and his head was held low as he to looked at his bloody victorious opponent.

“Your wounds heal...” the ex-alpha stared in wonder.

“I told you I’m the son of Ianuaria,” Raben replied then looked at the clearly stunned on-looking pack. “As new alpha you will do as I say.”

The pack laid on the ground in submission as the former alpha tried to slink away as a lonely exile.
“I didn’t give you permission to leave the pack,” Raben snapped at the ex-alpha.

The wolf momentarily froze in mid-step afraid the human was about to kill him. Then he lay down and rolled onto his back exposing his belly in a sign of ultimate submission.

“Stand up, all of you stand up,” Raben said softly. “I lead my human pack with kindness, understanding and mutual respect. I’ll do the same with you. My responsibilities to my human pack will leave me little time for you. I will lead you but not day by day.” Then he looked at the ex alpha. “You are a good leader. But things are no longer like they used to be. The past is gone and will not be returning. I built those walls about my hunting grounds to protect my human pack from threats. I will lead you into that secure hunting ground but you will follow the rules I establish for you. I will depend on you to look after the pack for me. You are my beta and I hand the day to day leadership pack back to you.”

The former alpha now beta lowered his head in submission and acknowledgment.

In the morning the eyes of the shepards and farmers almost popped out of their heads as Raben came down from the mountains in his shredded bloody clothes playing his flute being followed by the five wolves. The stares continued all the way into Barmaz. Raben explained the wolves were his pack and would only take what they needed to live. They would take the old and infirm in exchange for patrolling the walls, especially the high snowy peaks in the southeast of Barmaz Bailiwick. The wild wolves quickly became a familiar part of the Barmaz Bailiwick.

Raben resumed his yearly circuit. Leaving Barmaz after the first week of October, 23 days traveling to Mazbar, staying through November, 12 days sailing to Zamrab, arriving in mid December and staying there through January, 53 days sailing back to Mazbar arriving the fourth week of March, staying in Mazbar through the end of April, then 23 days traveling back to Barmaz arriving the last week of May. That worked out to 4 1/2 months in Barmaz, 2 1/4 months in Mazbar, 1 1/2 months in Zamrab and 3 3/4 months traveling. Over the next years, except for the rocky mountain peaks, the boundary defense walls of Greater Barmaz were extended and completed along all the ridges.

The Goths launched a last major assault on Asia Minor in 275, where piracy by Black Sea Goths was causing great trouble in Colchis, Pontus, Cappadocia, Galatia and even Cilicia. At the same time Aurelian gathered Goth mercenaries to crush the resurgent Persians only to be assassinated at the Bosporus in September 275. His successor, Tacitus, then had to crush the Goth mercenaries who began to plunder the region. After defeating them he headed to Gaul to repel Frank and Alemanni incursions, dying on the way of a fever in June 276 after a reign of just nine months. The army in the west chose Florianus, the maternal half brother of Tacitus to be emperor. Florianus led troops to repel a Goth incursion in Thrace. At that point the army in the east selected Probus as emperor. The troops of the usurper and Florianus met. While Florianus won the battle, it was not a decisive victory. His troops lost confidence in him and he was assassinated in September 276 after a reign of eighty eight days. Probus traveled west, defeating the Goths along the lower Danube in 277. In 278 Probus campaigned in Gaul against the Alemanni and Longiones who had crossed the Rhine while his generals defeated the Franks. Realizing it was impossible to hold the line of forts across Germany, the Limes such as Halheim, he abandoned the region falling back to the Rhine and Danube Rivers which were only 25 miles apart in southern Germany.

One of his principles was never to allow the soldiers to be idle, employing them in times of peace on useful works, such as the planting of vineyards in Gaul, Pannonia and other districts in order to restart the economy since much of those areas had been devastated by the near constant fighting. Probus began the strategy of settling the Germanic tribes in the devastated provinces of the empire only to be killed in September 282 by disgruntled soldiers who rebelled against his orders to drain marshes along the Danube. Carus was proclaimed emperor after Probus' death and avenged the murder of his predecessor then defeated the Quadi and Sarmatians on the Danube. Naming his sons Carinus and Numerian Caesars, he left Carinus in charge of the western portion of the empire and took Numerian with him on an expedition against the Persians beyond the Tigris avenging all the previous defeats suffered by the Romans against the Sassanid Persians. Further conquest were cut short by his death in July 283. Numerian and Carinus became co-emperors. In early 284 Carinus traveled to Rome to indulge in the pleasures of the city. The weary army in the east under co-emperor Numerian demanded to return home.

While Carinus had a good time in Rome in 284, Raben quietly met with the new Bishop of Rome, Caius, to discuss Christianity. Raben explained about his meeting with Judah the Prince to discuss the Angel Raphael/Ianuaria connection. Raben found himself almost agreeing to be baptized but held off. Corvus Scriptorium would continue to supply services to the Church in Rome and elsewhere. In return the wider Church would forward manuscripts and letters to the scriptorium for copying.

On the march to Rome, Numerian became ill and died, most likely poisoned. Diocletian was declared emperor by the eastern troops. Carinus led troops east to meet Diocletian heading west. The competing forces met at the Battle of the Margus River where Carinus was killed by his deserting troops in July 285.

Raben managed to stay out of the political turmoil while staying plugged in to the stuttering heartbeat of the stumbling Roman Empire. For the most part the Province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae and Allobroges avoided the worst of the political chaos and fighting. This was due in great part to Senator Raben taking the lead in public works. As the only senator, he was able to exert a great deal of pressure on the provincial governors. Using Corvus Construction he had sturdy stone bridges built across the Upper Rhone every four miles to connect the two sides and set about paving roads along both sides of the river connecting the bridges to every town and village. He did the same in the streams in the Allobroges area of Narbonensis but not across the Rhone. Along with the inherent isolation due to the mountainous terrain this kept the economy going and the population happy, unlike nearly every other province in the empire.

Diocletian instituted many reforms in an effort to stem the incessant invasions and bring political stability to the empire. The number of legions increased while the number of men per legion decreased. Many legions were recruited from barbarians newly settled in the empire. History as well as experience showed the Roman Empire was too large for one ruler so Diocletian divided it into two. He installed Maximian as co-emperor of the western provinces. The Edict of Prices was issued in an effort to control inflation, setting a cap on prices and a wage-freeze with punishment of death for violators. Despite this harsh punishment, black-markets grew. In an effort to prevent farmers from abandoning their land, he ruled farmers of rented property were never to abandon it. That edict was the beginning of serfdom.

In Gaul bands of brigands, roamed the countryside looting and pillaging. The brigands were made up of impoverished free peasants, runaway slaves and deserters from the legions, all who were trying to resist the ruthless labor exploitation of the proto-feudal manorial and military systems and all of the punitive laws and levies. Their leaders belonged to the local Gallo-Roman landowning class who rebelled against the grinding taxation and garnishing of their lands, harvests and manpower by the predatory agents of the Roman state. Maximian didn’t have enough manpower to hold the Germanic border and fight the brigands.

Diocletian ordered a new legion to be formed in Egypt with recruits from the vicinity of the city of Thebes. The normal procedure to do this was the commander of the new legion was appointed and he selected commanders for the ten cohorts. These men were given the responsibility to recruit their cohorts. The commander of the tenth cohort of the Theban Legion was a Christian named Maurice who recruited fellow Christians Candidus, Innocent, and Exuperius as his subordinates. All who joined the cohort were Christians. After training, Diocletian ordered the new legion to reinforce Maximian in Gaul to crush the brigands.

They arrived at the Adriatic port of Ravenna then, cohort by cohort, marched over the Poeninus Mons into the upper Rhone river valley to join the local troops of Maximian’s growing army. The troops camped in the Rhone valley after passing through the provincial capital of Forum Claudii Vallensium. The Christian cohort was camped just outside the village of Agaunum {PD St. Maurice} 9 miles north of the capitol under the walls of the Barmaz Bailiwick. Maximian was in the provincial capitol making plans to eliminate the brigands. As was custom, Maximian ordered the troops to make sacrifices to the gods of the Rome to insure the gods would look upon their campaign with favor.

Maurice’s cohort, being Christian, politely refused to make such a sacrifice. Maximian was stunned by their refusal. They were throwing the entire campaign against the brigands into jeopardy. After a second refusal a furious Maximian ordered the cohort to decimate {the practice of having ten soldiers who were friends kill one of their own} as punishment. Demonstrating they were willing to follow orders the cohort followed the brutal order by drawing lots to determine who would die. Maximian then ordered the survivors to make the normal pre-campaign sacrifice to the Roman Gods. The remainder of the cohort, now emboldened by the bloody sacrifice of their comrades, still refused to sacrifice to the Roman gods. Now incensed, Maximian ordered another decimation. Maurice sent a letter to Maximian declaring: Maximian was beyond enraged taking his personal bodyguard and provincial troops to execute the entire cohort.

Demonstrating their willingness to follow orders as well as their total faith in the one true God, the Christian soldiers dropped their weapons, knelt and offered their necks to the sword to be butchered in silence until the entire cohort of 600 men had been killed, the first Christian mass martyrdom.

Agaunum was just 4 miles upriver from Monthey and the Barmaz Bailiwick. Word of the incident quickly spread when the legate ordered able bodied men to immediately come to the village to bury the bodies. Raben was totally stunned by this self inflicted massacre that proved the devotion of the Christians to their God. He led a work party a hundred men strong from Barmaz to the bloody camp where another eighty local men were stripping then gathering the bodies, wrapping each in a plain blanket then stacking them like cordwood.

Upon arrival Raben confronted Maximian. Raben spoke clearly and openly. “I am Senator Raben Corvo. My estate overlooks this valley and I’ve brought men to assist in burying these brave soldiers. While I’m not a Christian I am familiar with them. By killing these men you have made them martyrs. Your soldiers, who respect dignity and bravery, witnessed the dignity and bravery of their deaths. By killing these men who clearly followed YOUR orders by so willingly submitting to their deaths, you have planted the seeds in the minds of the soldiers that the Christian God is more powerful than all the Roman Gods taken together. No Roman god who can elicit such devotion. You have accomplished the exact opposite of what you intended. You have shown the power of the One True God who promises an afterlife of luxury and ease if they remain true to their faith.”

“You little Senatorial bastard,” Maximian sneered. He knew Raben had attained senatorial rank for saving the life of Emperor Gallienus. “I should have YOU arrested and executed for treason!”

“At times you speak before you think,” Raben retorted. “Since when is speaking the truth treason? I support your rule just as my family has supported every Emperor since the reign of Severus. I have done nothing to question or threaten your rule. Please take this advice. Lead the troops down the river today. Get them away from here and keep them occupied so they don’t have time to think that YOUR arrogant orders caused this senseless massacre.”

Although furious at Raben’s audacity, Maximian realized the Senator was being brutally honest. His order to massacre the cohort had not been well thought through. All Raben had said was all too true, he had to move the troops away. Still, he didn’t like the small Senator. “Watch your back, little man,” Maximian growled.

“I always do,” Raben answered and nodded then put his head back and howled like a wolf.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 30: 285 CE: The Theological Connection

Everyone was clearly shocked by that weird behavior wondering if perhaps Raben was crazy.

Then from the walls above them the a host of wolf howls answered. Raben howled once more. A dozen wolves loped from the low opening in the wall where the Mauvoisin, the stream coming from the side valley to join the Rhone at Agaunum. The galloping wolves headed for Raben.

People screamed and ran. The provincial troops fell back drawing their weapons. Maximian almost wet himself as his bodyguard nervously moved to surround him. Raben began yipping, the wolves replied as they trotted up to stand protectively on either side of Raben.

“My pets,” Raben clearly announced so all could hear as he smiled and patted several wolves on the head as he looked at the stunned onlookers. Opening his cloak enough for Maximian to see his sword and a knife he softly added. “My grandfather was the original Demon Slayer. He passed his skills to me so my twin sister and I are now Demon Slayers. You’ve been on the German border long enough to have heard about the Demon Slayer. Although I have no desire to fight, I’m ready to fight if you push me. Look at the defensive walls above you. They are filled with militia. Besides, my wolves are just aching for fresh meat. If you think you can arrest me, go ahead and try!”

Maximian had indeed heard the tales of the Demon Slayer. Even if only a tenth of what was said was true, the Demon Slayer was to be feared. Glancing up he saw the walls, which were so far up the mountain sides he hadn’t noticed them until the wolf howls drew his attention upwards. Now he noted those walls were lined with armed men. Fortunately he didn’t know 85% of those armed men on the walls were women. The distance hid that reality.

The co-emperor realized he’d majorly screwed up. His arrogance had resulted in the elimination of an entire cohort which backed him into a corner about arresting Senator Corvo. Fortunately Raben had only scolded him, not openly challenged him or he would’ve had no choice but to arrest or kill him.

“Senator Corvo, I’m placing you in charge of burying these traitors,” Maximian announced as he turned to his aide. “Centurion, send dispatch riders to every camp. My orders are to immediately strike camp and proceed down the valley with all haste. I expect everyone to camp tonight at Montreux on the shores of Lac Leman.” Then he looked at his personal provincial troops. “You have the same orders. Go strike your camp and head down to the lake.”

The soldiers swallowed nervously as they formed their marching order to return to their camp quite relieved not to face the wolves or the Demon Slayer as well as to get away from the nasty massacre.

Raben smiled as with a flick of a wrist the wolves sat on their haunches. “As you command, Emperor Maximian,” he acquiesced with a slight bow.

Maximian acknowledged with a curt head nod as he mounted his horse. With his body guard he rode off to close his office and join his troops downstream at the lake.

Once Maximian and the troops were out of sight, Raben began organizing the summoned freemen into several work groups. They worked diligently as column after column of Roman soldiers marched down stream. Each group looked at the stacked bodies and men digging the burial spot.

The Alpine ridge coming down from the peak of L’Aiguille looms over Agaunum. The Barmaz defense walls are built at the edge of the overlooking plateau. The 500 feet high glacis between the top of the plateau/defense walls and the Rhone flood plain had been cut to a smooth 75° slope. A ditch 15 feet deep by 30 feet wide was cut at the bottom as a safety trap to stop any rocks that may someday break loose from rolling into the village. The location Raben chose for the burial spot {GM 46.219584, 7.003097} was 300 feet southwest of the eastern most point of the plateau.

Raben used the food and tents of the deceased cohort to feed and house the men as they worked. With one hundred eighty men on the task, the work went quickly. Since it was late afternoon when Raben had been charged with the burial, by the end of that first day the area Raben had selected had been marked off and cleared. The wolves had been detailed to guard the group of workers during the night too provide close and distant warning of any possible trouble.

That night as Raben tried to sleep the alpha wolf of his pack came and laid by it’s dominus. Suitably guarded, as Raben slept, Ianuaria approached him in his dream.

“Salutations, disciple Raben,” Ianuaria greeted.

“Ianuaria, it’s good to see you,” Raben said. “It’s been one hundred eleven years since we last met.”

“That’s just a pittance to a Goddess,” Ianuaria replied.

“True, but from a human perspective it’s a LONG time,” Raben sighed.

“Yes, but you are doing well,” Ianuaria smiled. “You’re doing much better with the Curse than your predecessor.”

Raben still had concern for the man who passed on the Curse. “Was he rewarded for his effort?”

“Yes, we gave his soul eternal peace,” Ianuaria assured him.

“Good,” he relaxed. “He was a good hearted man, just overwhelmed by the Curse.”

“As a soldier he had been dirtied,” she told him. “As a soldier he lacked the ability to use his gift to help others. You not only help others, you foresee future troubles taking action to save knowledge for humanity.”

“I have no choice but to try to help,” he confessed. “I wish I didn’t have to take so many lives.”

“That you feel grief and take no pleasure in taking lives is what makes you ideal to be the Curse bearer,” Ianuaria smiled. “That plus the fact you were a skilled Ianuarian were the reasons I recommended you for receiving the ‘Curse’.”

“You recommended me to get the Curse?” Raben asked in surprise as he rolled that over in his head.

“The Curse was intended to help humanity,” Ianuaria replied. “We hoped Marcellus Longinus could do what was intended. While he tried he we realized he was too old to adjust to the demands of the Curse. But he realized you could handle it, and I agreed, convincing the others. We let him know how to pass on the Curse. Your compassion allowed the transmission of the Curse.”

Raben nodded. “Please don’t get upset, but...”

“I am not the Angel Raphael... you could say I am his sister,” she cut him off.

Raben’s mind swirled. “So Jesus is really the Christ, the son of the one true God come to redeem mankind?”

“That depends upon mankind,” she replied. “If they accept and believe or not is a free will choice.”

Raben thought deeply. “What about those who don’t believe, or can’t believe, or who have never heard of Jesus or even the one true God?”

“All are judged on their lives,” Ianuaria explained. “Those who lived evil, reap evil. Those who lived good, reap good. Those in between will be judged by their remorse. No human has the strength of character to continually be good. Despite your best intentions you are unable to be good all the time. That is part and parcel of being human. Those who slip and fall away will be welcomed upon their return to the fold. Those who died before Jesus were judged the same way.”

“So what the Scriptures say is true?” Raben questioned. “We should accept Jesus as out savior and worship the one true God?”

“It is good to be fervent in the new faith,” Ianuaria declared. “However, do not allow the faith to become religious. The Scriptures were intended to be the divinely inspired words of God. However those Godly words were heard, understood and recorded by humans. Human understanding is predicated on and influenced by that person’s life experiences and knowledge. That means the true words of God recorded in the Scriptures have inaccuracies. In addition the Gospels were not written down until between 30 and 60 years after Jesus was crucified and none were written by an eye witness. Human memory distorts over time as do stories verbally passed on. Those caveats in no way lessen the morality or lessons of the Scriptures. But they do present a powerful case for a personal relationship with God rather that an institutional mediated relationship. The key is faith, which is mankind reaching to God. Religion is man trying to pull God down to mankind then caging and limiting God with manmade rules and requirements. The responsibility of a Christian is to love one another as they would love themselves, sharing and guiding others in the faith of the one true God. Jesus spoke against the Pharisees and Sadducees for enforcing manmade rules on how to worship and limiting approaches to God. The Christian Church is already doing just that. They make minor differences into insurmountable mountains. They must guard against losing the message in the rules. Even worse is forcing or coercing people to worship. Doing so is a sin.”

“Christianity is growing and will replace the old Gods,” Raben stated thoughtfully. “I have already seen the Church leadership making rules. The Clan Corvo and I should become Christians and do what we can to ease the burden of rules. That will mean walking a fine line.”

“The old gods, myself included, are aspects of the one true God so we will be subsumed into the new,” Ianuaria informed him. “That does not mean we will disappear. There will be times when you and your clan will need to yield to the human rule makers and enforcers. Do so to survive and keep TRUE faith alive, like a strong tree bends in the wind but does not break. Barmaz will be the lighthouse guiding souls to true salvation. You have been my disciple since your first independent thoughts. You are a healer. Jesus is a healer. With him at your side, you’ll be a better healer. Just remember, not all can be healed in this life. Some who you feel should live will die. Some you feel should die will live. But it will be God who makes that ultimate decision and even we cannot fathom His will. All you can do is your best and trust in God. Now, my child, sleep well.”
Raben awoke feeling better than he had in years. He had no doubts the dream had been a genuine encounter with Ianuaria. He now understood his responsibilities. He just wished he knew how to accomplish them.

In the morning the crew was divided into digging/quarrying parties. Starting at an area 10 feet beyond the ditch a pit 10 feet deep by 75 feet long by 40 feet wide was excavated. Since much of the area was solid rock, it had to be quarried As the hole was dug some men began cutting the removed rocks for use as building blocks. They then built a stacked stone wall 30 inches wide around the perimeter of the pit extending to one foot above the highest undisturbed adjoining area. Since no one from the area knew the dead soldiers, once they were stripped there was no way to distinguish one from another rendering them anonymous. The blanket wrapped bodies were packed tightly arm to leg alternating direction allowing 40 bodies to be laid in a row. Three levels of five rows were stacked into the pit. The massed bodies were covered with 4 feet of dirt then 4 feet of gravel. A stacked stone wall 5 feet thick and 5 feet high was built around the perimeter incorporating the pit wall. The wall enclosed area atop the bodies was filled level with the top of the wall entombing the bodies and creating a flat space in which wild flowers were planted. It took three days to complete the burial.

Raben commissioned a stela. Having found the roll of the cohort amongst the belongings he had their names engraved on sides of the massive memorial stone which was placed in front of the walled mass grave.

Except for the weapons, jewelry and coins Raben distributed the cohort’s belongings to the eighty local men as payment for their efforts. Everyone involved in the cleanup and burial as well as all the locals who heard about the martyrdom of the cohort were deeply effected. Nearly all had at least heard about Christians but none knew about the faith. Many had questions about Christianity and the one true God who invoked such passion that the six hundred men, legionaries no less, willingly allowed themselves to be slaughtered like lambs.

Raben and several Clan Corvo scribes from Corvus Scriptorium who were knowledgeable about Christian writings went to the numerous weekly farmer’s markets in the Upper Rhone River Valley to explain what the Christian writings said. As they shared their knowledge the message resonated deeply within everyone. Raben and his kin spent many evenings discussing Christianity, all deciding they needed to talk to established Christians like the Bishop of Rome, Cauis, in Rome.

Raben and his kin traveled to Mazbar just before the snows closed Poeinus Mons for the season. After settling in they and two scribal kin from Mazbar set up appointments with the Bishop of Rome, Caius, where they discussed the martyrdom of the Thebian Legion, the solemn burial of the martyrs, and their immersion into Christianity. Caius and his attendants were stunned by the Scriptural knowledge of the aspiring acolytes. Truth be told, Raben taught them, offering copies of the pertinent codexes. By August, Bishop of Rome Caius baptized the supplicants then commissioned them as Priests with Raben appointed as Bishop of Barmaz and Clan Corvo. At Raben’s insistence, in the official notarized documents, the definition of Barmaz was spelled out to be wherever the Clan Corvo lived. It also included special dispensation for the Bishop of Barmaz to establish a Christian School, appoint more priests, appoint additional bishops and even successor Bishops. They spent the next several months learning the hierarchy and procedures of the Church as they set up a church in a barn in Mazbar. At every opportunity, Raben stressed to the Roman hierarchy the need for the growing Church to avoid the pitfalls that Christ spoke about had happened to the Pharisees and Sadducees.

In December Raben and one Presbyter sailed to Alexandria and Zamrab. Raben explained about the martyrdom of the Thebian Legion because of their acceptance of Christianity. They set up a church in a barn in Zamrab with weekly services. Raben made sure to travel 500 miles up the Nile to Thebes {PD Luxor}. There, as the Bishop of Barmaz, he sought out the Christian community to tell them the fate of the Christian Cohort, assuring them that he personally saw to their burial and erected a memorial monument. The bereaved thanked him for taking care of their loved ones. When Raben left Egypt he took two of his scribal kin while leaving the Presbyter behind to officiate at the newly established church.

It was the beginning of April 287 when Raben and the two from Zamrab arrived in Rome. The two from Zamrab took up residence and began studying in Mazbar and Rome so they could be commissioned as Presbyters. In fact, the Scriptorium at Mazbar expanded to include a safe site and school for learning about Christian writings. In May Raben and the Barmaz Presbyters returned to Barmaz. They established a church in Barmaz with others in Monthey, Aguanum, Sion and Forum Claudii Vallensium. They utilized barns to meet and hold services. After all, if Jesus was humbly born in a stable, why would having services in a barn be inappropriate? They kept the services low key so as not to draw imperial attention.

Fortunately Maximian was kept busy fighting brigands in Gaul, defending the border with Germania and stopping pirates along the coast of Gaul and Britain. He didn’t have the time to worry about Raben or Christians. The general he sent to eliminate the pirates kept their booty which earned him a death sentence. As a result he rebelled pulling Britannia and northwestern Gaul from the empire. In the east Diocletian was busy along the Danube and in Asia Minor.

Raben and his Presbyters remained involved in day to day life. At Raben’s insistence none assumed an air of superiority, ministering in the humble manner of a servant. They did their best to be help those in need as did all in Barmaz. Raben oversaw the Presbyters as they ministered in the churches but did not devote himself to being a full time bishop. Corvus Scriptorium would continue it’s mission copying and preserving knowledge.

One thing really irritated Raben about the Church in Rome and the Church in general was it’s utter disdain for females. Women were squeezed out of any leadership position. They were not allowed to teach or preach or even speak in church services. They were expected to serve the needs of males such as providing food. Yet Raben knew Jesus never taught nor approved of any kind of subordination of one of his followers over another. Instead, he expressly forbade it in any Christian relationship. All three Synoptic gospels record Jesus teaching his disciples that any subordination of one to another, both abusive and customary, is a pagan practice, not something to take place among his followers. Having issued his strong prohibition against subordination of others, he prescribed the Christian alternative to subordination as being the exact opposite: profound service to others.

Closely related to that, Raben believed that having an extensive hierarchy was a poison that permeates relationships, the more levels, the deadlier the poison as those at the top loose connection with those at the bottom. Safe and comfortable in their ivory towers, they no longer see life’s reality. Jesus trained his disciples in the ways of servanthood yet the Christian leadership insisted on substituting hierarchy for servanthood. They kept competing among themselves for the highest status and for positions of preeminence. To settle the issue once for all times, Jesus sharply delineated the basic difference between social organization in the secular world as compared to the Christian community. There is no mandate and no allowance in the New Testament for one adult believer to hold authority over another adult believer. Instead, the overall rule calls for mutual submission among all believers out of reverence for Christ.

In addition, the scriptures made contradictory statements on women’s subordination to men as well as slavery. Both were allowed and accepted, however the same Scriptures also contain ideas and principles which, if developed and taken to their logical conclusion, would bring about the abolition of those practices. According to the teachings of Jesus, biblical patriarchy should be replaced by the “we are all one in Christ Jesus” proclamation of Galatians 3:28 which says "There is no Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus."

Needless to say the Bishop of Rome as well as others did not share Raben’s beliefs in those matters. So while he practiced what he preached, he didn’t rub it in the faces of others.

Feeling more focus was needed on both civic and military problems, in 293 Diocletian, with Maximian's consent, appointed two Caesars, Galerius and Constantius. To reduce the possibility of local usurpations and to facilitate collection of taxes and supplies as well as enforcement of the law, he doubled the number of provinces grouping them into twelve dioceses governed by an official called a vicarius. A vicarius and the provincial governors under him were responsible for justice and taxation but a new class, dukes, acting independently of the civil service had military command. Under the reforms of Diocletian, the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae remained intact but became part of the Diocese of Gaul. Also the name of the capitol, Forum Claudii Vallensium, was returned to Octodurum, the name it had at the time it was absorbed into the Roman Empire. The Clan Corvo controlled portion of northeastern Allobroge had been placed in the province of Viennensis with it’s capital city Vienna {PD Vienne} and like Alpes Graiae et Poeninae, was under the praetorian prefecture of Gaul. This created potential issues as the Clan Corvo areas fell under two provinces.

Raben’s normal Barmaz/Mazbar/Zamrab itinerary continued most years. Thus he was in Rome in April 296 when Bishop of Rome Caius died. As a Bishop he was involved in the congregation of Church leaders to select the replacement Bishop of Rome. Marcellinus was selected as new Bishop of Rome in June. Raben resumed his travels. By then the walls around Mazbar had been completed. Atop Mons Vaticanus, storehouses had been built with the supply capacity to keep the denizens of Mazbar going for a year. A well had also been dug providing a steady water supply.

When he returned to Barmaz at the end of July the glacis below the defense walls facing the upper Rhone river valley were completed. The narrow entry road cut into the plateau was completed as were the numerous narrow channels beneath the wall on the Vieze. The defense system looked intimidating and was virtually impregnable. The secondary entry at Abondance was also intimidating but Raben wanted additional defensive construction. Any assault on the Barmaz Bailiwick would be prohibitively expensive in terms of lives for the attacker.

In the fall Raben returned to Mazbar and in December headed to Zamrab. He had more long range plans he was ready to implement. These trips were to make sure Zamrab, Mazbar and Barmaz would run on their own while he was tied up in the new ventures.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 31: 297-298 CE: The Norse Connection

By the end of May he was back in Barmaz. One of the priorities was to find a reliable source of iron, thus he decided to take another scouting trip along the east bank of the Rhine to the North Sea, similar to the one he took sixty years ago. Since all iron sources in Roman territory were locked down by existing organizations, a source that could be secured for the Clan Corvo outside Roman territory needed to be found. The difference from his last Rhine trip was he intended to travel as Fiach. Posing as an itinerant healer riding a horse along with a pack horse she set out. This would be her first trip north since Emperor Probus had abandoned the limes when he retracted the border to the Rhine.

Much of the area that had been behind the Limes had been mostly Alemanni when the border shifted, now it was nearly exclusively so. Most of the non-Germanic citizens had fled or died while a few remained quietly letting themselves slip into the ranks of the Alemanni. The old clan and tribe relations dissolved as ever increasing numbers of men served as Roman auxiliary forces, learning new tactics, acquiring better materials, and undergoing partial Romanization. Quite a few men had served in the legions or mercenary units bringing their knowledge home forming a societal elite where none had previously existed. When they returned home they no longer fit into the old molds. Though kinship remained the primary bond, a new kind of political organization evolved. Older, successful warrior chieftains took in younger warriors accustomed to taking orders and maintaining discipline producing a professional more lethal warrior group where bonds were now between men and the leader. The Alemanni were growing stronger and better organized.

As Fiach had hoped, nearly everyone she met accepted her as a traveling healer, at least at first. The further north she traveled up the east bank of the Rhine, the more she noted women were being systematically repressed. The egalitarian lifestyle that had been traditional in the Germanic tribes was being submerged in the Roman influenced Patriarchy. The Alemanni territory had expanded north to the town of Koblenz. Beyond there, another new confederation of Germanic tribes, the Franks, held dominance all the way to the North Sea. The Alemanni and Franks were conglomerates of older no longer viable tribes and displaced Germans. The Alemanni were craftsmen and farmers who were sometimes warriors. The more aggressive Franks were warriors who were sometimes craftsmen and farmers. The further Fiach rode into the territory of the Frank confederation the more she was dismissed as being insignificant.

Fiach was about 6 miles east of the Rhine following an unpaved but well used road along the Rinderbach creek as it headed east for the Ruhr River at the village of Kettwig Vor Der Brucke {GM 51.349983, 6.929254}. It was a hilly forested area and she rode along the dappled road enjoying the beauty of nature. The chirping and singing of the birds and the gentle breeze made the humidity bearable. The birds seldom paused their songs for a lone rider, but suddenly the singing stopped. At once Fiach went to high alert as she began intently scanning the forested hills to either side of the stream. She dismounted to stretch her legs and let the horses refresh themselves by the stream. Slipping between the horses she pulled her bow out of it’s sheath, strung it, uncovered her quiver, and slipped her scabbard and sword onto her back. Once remounted she loosened the knives in her vest then resumed following the road. After about 300 feet a dozen armed young men stepped from behind trees, surrounding her.

“Young and fresh, just the way I like them,” chortled the surly young man who was obviously the leader as he and the men closed in. “If you’re a good girl and satisfy us we might let you live.”

“I’m a good girl,” Fiach smiled as she stopped noting they were all in their late teens. “I’m a traveling Ianuarian. Have things changed so much that safe passage is no longer possible?”

“Not for cheeky bitches like you,” the leader sneered.

“I strongly suggest you stop where you’re at and let me pass,” Fiach declared with a steely smile.

“Oh, you scare me,” the leader jeered. “Do you intend to fight us? You’ll lose... your virginity then your life!”

“You have no idea who I am,” Fiach laughed. “I am the great granddaughter of the Ianuarian Raben, the Demon Slayer. Even though he earned that title one hundred eighteen years ago, he passed his fighting skills down to me and my twin brother, We are both Demon Slayers! If you don’t let me pass I’ll have no choice but to kill you.”

Several of the young men started whispering and exchanged looks of apprehension. They had all heard of the Demon Slayer.

“She’s bluffing,” the leader scolded. “The Demon slayer is a fairy tale. Take her, NOW!” With that the leader charged. After a momentary hesitation, his men following his lead.

Fiach dropped the lead line of the pack horse, snatched up her bow and began firing arrows with her normal deadly accuracy as with her animal communications ability she urged her horse into a circular trot while the packhorse inserted himself between Fiach and her attackers. By the time they closed with her five had fallen. In the blink of an eye she slipped the bow into a pouch on the side of the saddle and reached over her shoulder to pull her sword. The man who had grabbed the horse’s bridal screamed as he lost his forearm. The man who attempted to pull her down fell back while his severed head rolled a few feet away. Then she urged the horse to charge through the remaining stunned men, turned and charged back through their shattered circle dropping two men.

The leader and the two remaining men were shocked at the quickness and brutality of the girl. Maybe she was a Demon Slayer! The infuriated leader cursed and charged as the two remaining men turned to flee in terror.

The sword went back into the scabbard and the bow reappeared in Fiach’s hands as she rode avoiding the enraged man’s increasingly erratic anger fueled attacks. Within seconds arrows dropped the fleeing men, then she fired one through the leader’s eye.

The battle lasted just three minutes leaving twelve men dead or dying. Fiach dismounted, after checking the wounded she knew none would survive so she showed them mercy putting them out of their agony by slicing their throats. Then she stripped their bodies of weapons and valuables, securing them on the pack horse. She rinsed herself, her horse and weapons in the stream, picked up the leader line of the pack horse, mounted and resumed her journey.

Ten minutes later she entered the small village on the bank of the Ruhr. Several people looked at the entering stranger.

“I am Fiach Corvo. I am a traveling healer. I call on the people of this village to bear witness to what I say.”

Her loud clear commanding voice carried through the hamlet and the curious villagers came forward. An older man was clearly the leader. “What is it you want?”

“Fifteen minutes ago I was accosted by a dozen ill-mannered young men about a mile down the road. They wanted to rob, rape and kill me. I warned them off but they stupidly refused. I assume you know these men. They are lying dead where they fell. As the victim and offended party I claimed all they carried.”

“I’m afraid we do know those men,” the leader gravely said as whispers and anxiety swept amongst the villagers. “Their leader was my son. How is it you were able to kill twelve warriors without any injury?

“As I warned them, my great grandfather was Raben, the Demon Slayer,” Fiach explained. “He passed his fighting skills and techniques to his family. “I too am a Demon Slayer.”

The villagers were clearly stunned. Like the dead men they had heard of the Demon Slayer but thought they were fairy tales. The elder shuddered. “You really killed all twelve?”

“Only after they attacked me,” Fiach replied. “They still lay where they fell. I killed those wounded because their injuries were fatal. Slitting their throats ended their suffering. I suggest you gather their bodies before the scavengers gather. Now, does this village attack travelers or do you offer hospitality to those who pass through? It is my intention to spend the night. I am an experienced healer and freely offer my services to any who need it.”

The elder shook his head. “We offer hospitality. I apologize for my son and the men with him. They seldom listened to reason and were hotheaded.”

“Your hospitality and apology is appreciated,” Fiach nodded. “In turn I apologize for killing them. I warned them off, but they refused to be dissuaded.”

While the villagers were sad at the twelve deaths, Fiach sensed they were also relieved. The deceased young men must have been obnoxious bullies intimidating the village. Several people sought her advice for treatments. Two hours after arriving in town two wagons returned heaped with bodies.
The next morning the dead were buried together in a mass grave. Fiach moved on at mid morning.

The closer she came to the North Sea, the flatter the land became. Swamps, marshes and bogs became more frequent and bigger. The river itself was like a sinuous snake slithering through the massive flat delta. Much like the Nile in Egypt, it split into many channels. At about 40 miles from the North Sea the waterlogged landscape became a real obstacle to riding as the roads deteriorated to trails with waterlogged ends. Many settlements were built on manmade raised islands that needed regular replenishment to counteract erosion and accessible only by water. Fiach decided to return to Roman territory, crossing the Rhine at the Roman fort at Arnhem {GM 51.980047, 5.893658}. {The Roman northern border was along what was then the main branch of the Rhine, the Oude Rijn, which meandered between Arnhem and Leiden. Today the Oulde Rijn is a mere shadow of what it was in Roman times. Waters from the Rhine no longer flow through it, it now drains the Dutch low land.}

At the fort she debated giving up her quest since she had not found a potential source of iron or to seek out a boat to continue her quest by water. No one was interested in a Quixote expedition run by a mere girl. As she wandered the wharfs in the town adjoining the fort she came upon a rather loud argument that was about to turn violent. The crew of a ship was in a sharp dispute with a merchant, the harbor master and the wharf workers. A squad of soldiers was rapidly approaching. It was clear the crew was having difficulty communicating.

Fiach moved in. “I think I can help you,” she said in the language of the crew, then repeated it in the Germanic dialect of the civilians as well as Latin.

Everyone looked at her, amazed a person so young could fluently speak three languages. It only took a few moments to sort out the confusion. This was the first time the ship and crew had traveled to Roman territory. They spoke a Germanic dialect that was unlike any Fiach had heard.

Fiach facilitated the trading. The boat had traveled several weeks from their northern homeland to trade their smelted iron for Roman cooking pots and other fine items. They felt they were being ripped off by the traders. The traders normally didn’t by raw iron so had immediate use for it nor did they know current prices. The sailors had hoped the voyage would cut out the greedy intermediates through whom they currently bought their needs. Unfortunately the local blacksmith was the only one interested in buying the raw iron but he only wanted a small portion.

Fiach smiled at the ship crew’s disappointment. Their plight could be the answer to her dilemma. “I’ll buy the rest of the iron and help you buy the goods you want but I want to accompany you on your voyage home.”

The captain of the boat asked, “What will you do with the iron and why would you want to come with us?”

“I’ll ship it to my brother,” Fiach explained. “Part of my mission was to find a source of iron for our clan. I’m a healer who has studied in Rome, Athens and Alexandria. I want to learn what I can from your healers while I share my knowledge with them while I see if we can negotiate a deal for iron. I’m also curious about how you obtain the iron.”

After a bit of dickering they reached an agreement. Fiach sold her horses, made arrangements with a reputable merchant to ship the iron to Barmaz, wrote a letter to accompany the shipment, then assisted in buying the trading goods the ship captain wanted.

A few days later they set out. The ship was 54 feet long and 12 feet wide in the center with an open hull, a precursor to the infamous Viking Longship. It took 2 days to reach the North sea. They were surprised that Fiach had no difficulty with seasickness once they reached the choppy waters of the North Sea. She explained she’d made many trips across the Mediterranean and that she’d survived being washed overboard during a nasty storm. They were quite impressed that she willingly joined the crew in handling the ship.

As they sailed north and east along the coast they encountered a few trading vessels. Fiach saw five abandoned crumbling villages for every inhabited one. The villages were all built atop man made earthen mounds to raise them above the periodic floods. Cows and sheep could be seen grazing in the damp grasslands around the occupied villages. After two days they stopped at one to replenish their supplies.

Fiach questioned them about the numerous abandoned villages. The people identified themselves as the Frisii, a Germanic people who made their living by fishing, trading, herding and farming. The people explained the periodic flooding of the area was increasing as was the depth of floods. The pasture lands were shrinking. Each flood eroded part of the terpens, the raised mounds the villages perched upon, faster than they could be replenished. As a result many had resorted to piracy and raids further down the coast in wealthy Roman areas. The Romans used Frisians in their northern merchant fleet as well as forming mercenary auxiliary units with the legions. The Romans responded to the piracy with brutal force while using an open hand to lure them into cooperation. Any village that had fallen upon hard times was allowed to pack up and resettle in the Belgica area of Gaul. The Romans provided ships to make the move. The village they were in would be abandoned within a month.

Sailing east past the 8 mile wide estuary of the Elbe river they reached the lands of the Saxons, another Germanic people. The Saxons had a vigorous merchant class with many merchant ships who traded and sometimes raided south into Roman territory. Raben had encountered them on his exploration sixty eight years before. For one day they continued following the coast, now north along the Jutland Peninsula.

They passed the Eider river leaving the lands of the Saxons to enter the lands of the Angles, another Germanic tribe. It took another day continuing north to the present day Denmark/Germany border get past the lands of the Angles.

The remainder of the Jutland Peninsula as well as the numerous islands to the east were occupied by the Jutes, yet another Germanic people. It took two days to sail to the tip of the peninsula.

From there they continued north taking the better part of day to cross the strait of Skagerrak to the southern tip of present day Norway. Then they followed the coast east and north. Fiach found the long trip enlightening and fascinating. The lands they passed until crossing the strait had been relatively flat with some low hills visible many miles inland. The coast of Norway was buffered by hundreds of islands with the mainland hills emerging from the shore. She learned the many narrow inlets penetrating the shore, some for miles, were called fjords. After two days the coast curved north and the hills yielded to a narrow band of relatively gently rolling farm land while at the same time it became almost impossible for her to judge which inlets were fjords and which were channels around islands. As they continued north, the hills grew into steep mountains that reminded her of the Alps around Barmaz. She also noticed the daylight growing longer with the dark of night being a weird twilight.

While continuing to follow the coast north it began to curve east. Following a coast hugging course while skimming the many islands and fjords they entered a large ‘L’ shaped fjord named Trondheim fjord. They traveled 55 miles up the long narrow inland waterway when the crew pointed out their destination, a large farm sitting atop a hill on a short peninsula called Olvishaugen {Olvir’s farmstead}. Wind driven waves about 2 feet high were crashing against the narrow rocky shore. She knew the boat could easily be beached on sandy or muddy shores but those wind driven waves and the rocks would make a landing extremely dangerous. Instead of heading inshore they sailed nearly 4 miles around the small peninsula into a narrow channel that opened into Eidsbotn lake, a 5700 feet long by 3400 feet wide rectangular body of water protected by the peninsula {GM 63.732738, 11.261653 near PD Levanger}. A short dock was placed by a small stream entering the southwest corner of the lake. They beached the boat facing Olvishaugen. The 768 mile voyage around Norway had taken 5 days, the entire trip had taken 12 days. {Today Olvishaugen GM 63.724565, 11.225205 is an unexcavated round burial round mound measuring 180 feet across and 20 feet high, one of the biggest burial mounds in Norway, is located in the cemetery of Alstadhaug Kirke, which was built in 1160.}

Fiach was enthusiastically greeted by Olvir and his people. They were quite delighted she’d bought their iron and facilitated getting good deals on the products they wanted. That she was interested in buying their future iron shipments pleased them. They were impressed that she was a skilled healer and had learned how to crew the ship. The crew enthused about her ability to scramble up the mast with ease in all sorts of weather to untangle twisted ropes as well as raising and lowering the sail. They were surprised she proved quite capable of pulling an oar with the rest of the crew. She had even taken turns on the steering oar. {Since most men are right handed, steering oars, often called steering boards, were always on the right side of the vessel which is the source of the word starboard for right side of a vessel. The steering board needed to be on the side away from a dock, thus the term port for the left side of a vessel.}

That first night they had a celebration of a safe return from a successful voyage. Needless to say the men were amazed Fiach, in spite of her small size, was able to hold her mead. With her ability to avoid poisoning, she drank everyone under the table. In the morning Fiach was up and about while the men nursed bad hangovers.

Needless to say the macho pride of the men who were the forefathers of the Vikings was sorely bruised. When the men finally made it outside they were shocked to see Fiach running around the fields leaping fences like a deer and scrambling up trees like a squirrel. That she continued to do so for an hour without a break shocked them. When she ran into the yard in front of the main longhouse she was sweated but barely breathing hard.

“Are you a demon?” Olvir asked. “You can sail a ship, run like a deer, climb like a squirrel and drank us under the table with no ill effects.”

“I train hard and eat well,” Fiach smiled despite being asked if she was a demon. “I’m also a skilled Ianuarian who has many herbal remedies.”

The men laughed heartily. Open hospitality was part of the Norse way of life in the rugged north. Such open welcomes in their far flung settlements allowed the sharing of news and the telling of stories. New ideas and practices were thus spread. Olvir invited Fiach to overwinter with him. She gladly accepted and that afternoon began treating any infirmities those in the community had.

When she asked to see their iron mines they laughed then explained they gathered the iron from the plentiful bogs. Normally they did the harvesting in the spring. However after seeing her skepticism they took her to a bog and used turf knives to pull back the top layer of peat. Rooting around they found nodules, most the size of peas. They explained it was a renewable resource taking about twenty years for a bog to accumulate enough to make harvesting worthwhile. As the weather grew colder Fiach assisted as they set up the furnaces to smelt the bog iron. She was amazed just how many baskets full of nodules they had to smelt. As normal she pitched right in working the furnaces.
{Streams carry dissolved iron from the deposits in the mountains. The iron concentrated in low lying bogs by two processes. The bog environment is acidic with a low concentration of dissolved oxygen allowing a chemical reaction to form insoluble iron compounds which precipitate out. Then anaerobic bacteria growing under the surface of the bog concentrate the iron as part of their life processes which can be detected on the surface by the iridescent oily film on the water, a sure sign of bog iron.}

Time on My Hands
Chapter 32: 298-299 CE: Clan Corvo Goes Norse

Fiach learned about the Norse pantheon, a variation of the German pantheon but much harsher. She was most intrigued by Odin and his twin companions, the Ravens, Hugin and Munin. Odin was the ‘raven-god’ or ‘the priest of the raven sacrifice’, a poetic way of describing fallen warriors as “sacrifices” to the ravens and other carrion birds, with Odin as a decider of who lives and who dies in battle. In the same vein, ravens were called ‘the greedy hawks of Odin’. The spotting of ravens immediately following a sacrifice to Odin was taken as a sign that the god had accepted the offering. However ravens aren’t only birds of gore and carnage, they’re also exceptionally intellectual birds, and Odin was an exceptionally intellectual god. Hugin comes from the word hugr, thought. Munin comes from the word munr, which encompasses the concepts of thought, desire and emotion. They’re Odin’s intellectual/spiritual capabilities journeying outward in the form of fittingly intelligent and curious birds that resonate with Odin’s roles as battle god and death god. The sending forth of spiritual aspects of oneself to accomplish particular tasks, in the case of Hugin and Munin, the gathering of additional wisdom and knowledge to add to Odin’s already-prodigious store, was a common practice by Norse shamans and sorcerers.

Once Fiach realized the almost reverence and apprehension these proto-Norse had for ravens, she decided to go all out. She bided her time until one day she saw several ravens picking a harvested field just outside the homestead buildings. Using her ability to communicate with animals she mimicked their harsh guttural KROCKING. The ravens responded. To the onlooking human residents, for the next few minutes she seemed to be having a back and forth conversation with the birds, which is exactly what she was doing. Nearly everyone had gathered to watch the bizarre event. Fiach walked to the fence by the field and the ravens flew to perch on the fence on either side of her, where they seemingly had a merry conversation. Finally she bid them farewell and walked back to the stunned humans.

She explained her name, Fiach, meant Raven in Celtic and her surname of Corvo meant raven in Latin. Then she revealed the duality of her nature and that she also appeared as her ‘twin’ brother Raben, who’s name also meant Raven in German. Then she confessed that she spent the majority of the time presenting as Raben.

That she was two ravens like Odin’s spies made them a bit nervous but by then they had grown accustomed to her helpful and honest ways so they accepted her duality.

“I was fourteen when I received a curse and I have not aged a day since then,” Fiach confessed as she looked everyone in the eye deciding to lay everything out for them. “That was one hundred twenty one years ago. I am one hundred thirty five years old. I obtained the curse by killing a demon and am known as the Demon Slayer.”

When she saw their doubt she pulled a knife and sliced her arm. They all watched the freely flowing blood dwindle and stop, then with disbelieving eyes, watched the wound heal.

Needless to say they were spooked by her abilities. Fortunately they felt she was a gift to them sent by Odin.

As the winter advanced, the days grew shorter {at midwinter there was only a bit over 3 hours of sunlight with the sun barely reaching over the horizon}. The long nights were much less boring for the farmstead natives as Fiach regaled them with tales of her travels, explorations and exploits. They had difficulty believing such things as deserts with deadly unbearable heat and no water. They also found it hard to accept the massive monuments like the pyramids or the Pharos Lighthouse along the Nile. The splendor of Rome and Athens left them speechless. Fiach had learned to draw from the artists Corvus Scriptorium had hired so was able to render acceptable images of what she'd seen in her travels.

They realized Fiach would be a formidable foe and asked about her combat abilities. Like their descendants, they were all about fighting and marveled at her stories of combat. Like many warriors, they pressed her for how many she had killed in combat. At first she resisted telling them insisting she was a healer and killed only when necessary, but was finally compelled to admit to a total of four hundred seven deaths. That of course led to wrestling contests with her guests. They marveled that she never lost, even against giant men three times her size.

Saturdays found her traveling to neighboring farmsteads where she told stories and defeated their champions in wrestling and demonstrations of martial abilities. None could better her archery for distance and accuracy. The same for using the simple sling and throwing knives. At first throwing axes was problematic but she watched the best performers and copied their moves soon beating their best, quite impressing them that she learned the skill so quickly. They found it almost impossible to believe she could outrun their fastest horses over distances of three miles or greater. Her ability to swim across the 6 miles across the fjord and then the same distance back, 12 miles in all, in four hours, in the dead of winter utterly astounded them when anyone lasting fifteen minutes in the frigid icy water was considered miraculous. The more they witnessed her martial and physical skills, the more they wondered why her kills only amounted to four hundred seven. She smiled and reaffirmed she was primarily a healer, not a warrior

In the early spring she assisted harvesting bog iron nodules from a neighboring peat bog. The snows were just starting to melt but the decomposition occurring in the bogs created enough heat to melt the snow covering them. Since the seas were still too rough to safely venture out and the fields still frozen, nearly the entire community turned out. The hardy northern denizens ignored the cold as they cut the turf to reach the valued iron nodules. Fires and tents were set up on the edges of the bogs for the workers to warm up between taking turns in the muck. Fiach learned to appreciate the hard work required to ‘mine’ the vital iron.

One thing she found entrancing during her stay was the collection of lodestones they had, the magnetite rocks that attracted iron. She spent hours examining and experimenting with them. She explained to her hosts that nine hundred years before that a wise man named Thales had analyzed lodestones and his findings had been recorded in scrolls she had read. Thales concluded lodestones had souls, because iron is attracted to them.

{Thales was the first to be connected to knowledge of lodestones in history. A Greek with Phoenician heritage from the city of Miletus in Asia Minor, he was the first of the Seven Sages of Greece. Many regard him as the first philosopher in the Greek tradition, a philosopher, mathematician, and astronomer He is recognized as the first individual in Western civilization known to have entertained and engaged in scientific philosophy recognized for breaking from the use of mythology to explain the world and the universe, and instead explaining natural objects and phenomena by theories and hypotheses: science.}

Fiach bought one of the lodestones then carefully split off walnut sized chunks. In her experiments she suspended the disks from a thread. Everyone was entranced to watch them bob about as two chunks were brought into proximity, sometimes pushing apart spinning while other times snapping together. Using a bit of paint she dabbed a red color on the ends that came together. Soon she found that while the colors always came together if they were close, sometimes the unpainted opposite ends came together. Dabbing the opposite sides with a white color she discovered the same colors always came together and that the different colors tried to push apart. With those reactions she deduced that each had two poles, one that attracted the other and one that repelled the other. Both reactions were weak but nevertheless evident.

After several days of experiments she noticed that when the chunks were suspended far enough apart to not interact, they always settled into pointing the same direction, to the north. However, on one chunk the red pointed north, on the other it was the white. Spinning the suspended chunk always resulted in the chunk stopping with the same end pointing north. After swapping the colors on one stone chunk so the north pointing side was white, the spinning chunks always stopped with the white side pointing north. With that she concluded the alike poles repelled while the opposite polls attracted. Later she realized she had a way of determining which way was north without seeing the sun! Wisely she kept that discovery to herself. She built a small box to suspend the chunks just far enough apart to avoid being attracted. Then she added a lever that when moved one direction brought them into range which set them spinning, with the opposite colored ends eventually coming together thus creating a playful toy that secretly doubled as the first ever reliable compass.

Then as the winter tossed seas eased the ship was prepared for another voyage. Coastal voyages began the week after the spring solstice, the first week of April. Open sea voyages were done only between May and September. After tearful farewells, Fiach joined the crew to sail back south with the smelted iron. They set out the week after the spring solstice. She had set up an annual agreement to buy whatever Roman goods the proto-Vikings wanted to exchange for the raw iron. Each year they would give her a list for the following year. One of Olvir’s mid teen grandsons was fascinated with Fiach’s tales and begged to be allowed to accompany her and spend a year with her. After assuring Olvir she didn’t mind having the youth accompany her, Bjorn was added to the crew. She promptly began teaching him Latin so he could converse with her people.

The trip south went smoothly despite a few minor storms but they soon entered the Ijsselmeer, then into the Ketelmeer and finally the Ijssel River. Originally an individual river, nearly two hundred fifty years before the Romans had dug a canal from the Rhine to Ijssel to divert some of the Rhine flow and to provide a quicker way to move troops into the oft wet and marshy region. Fiach joined the crew in rowing upstream. It took 3 days of hard sailing and quite a bit of rowing to reach their destination, the Roman frontier fort town of Bonna {PD Bonn}.

Fiach leapt ashore and headed to the marketplace where she found several of her Corvoian clanspeople waiting per the instructions she had sent with the first iron shipment. She returned to the docks to introduce the Norse to her people. Placing several of her people on the ship she took the crew into the town to visit a tavern.

The next day they offloaded the iron and loaded the pots, farming implements, and other trade goods on the ship. Three days after they arrived in Bonna, the Norse headed home as did Fiach and her people. Bjorn was fascinated with the Rhine and the paved Roman roads.

After rising at the end of the first night on the road, Raben made his appearance. Bjorn had known Fiach was dual natured and that she would be swapping identities but he was still stunned when he met her ‘twin’. Raben quickly put him at ease.

The armed wagon train made it’s way south along the river to the Roman trading town of Basilia {PD Basel}. There the Rhine turned east but they headed south passing through Bern journeying to Lake Leman then up the Upper Rhone River to Barmaz. It was the last week of May when they arrived at Barmaz.

Bjorn was wide-eyed when he saw the 300 feet high hewn glacis topped by massive defensive walls on the mountains. The ride up the narrow cut defile of the entrance road and under the imposing bridge left him speechless. At the top Raben commandeered a pair of horses for himself and Bjorn as the wagons passed on to their destination. Raben took Bjorn to the top of defenses. The youth was speechless as he looked down from the heights. Everyone he saw eagerly greeted his mentor. They rode north across the mountains on the wide road cut into the mountain behind the defense walls, a distance of 9 miles as the crow flies. They spent the night in guardroom below the watchtower in the northeast corner of the defenses.

The next day they rode down into the valley of Abondance, then followed the valley to Champery. Bjorn was blown away by the fact everyone welcomed Raben back. The sheer size of the Barmaz Bailiwick and all the people numbed his mind. Raben told him his four siblings and their spouses had been the first generation. Their 19,000 descendants and spouses, now approaching the adulthood of the seventh generation, were related by marriage to 90% of the population of 563,000+, that had spread as far as 40 miles into the lands all around the Barmaz Bailiwick. The sixth generation had absorbed the last of those residents not of blood descent inside the Barmaz Bailiwick. In another 40 years the entirety of the ninth generation of children were on schedule to be blood relatives of Raben. Then there were 1600+ descendants at both Zamrab in Egypt and Mazbar in Rome.

Several of Raben’s mid teen clanspeople were intrigued with Bjorn and Raben’s northern expedition. In mid July Raben led the eight teen relatives and Bjorn on a grand excursion. First they crossed the Poeninus Mons into Italy traveling to Mazbar arriving the second week of August. While Raben reviewed the operation he had four younger adult men take the teens on a tour Mazbar and of the capitol of the Roman Empire, the city of Rome.

After a month Raben led the teens to Ostia where they boarded a ship to sail to Alexandria arriving in the third week of September. They headed to Zamrab which they toured while Raben reviewed the books. Then taking one of the Zamrab ships, the teens and some rivermen sailed/rowed/poled up the channel to the Nile itself. They were amazed by the size of the river as they traveled upriver. They stopped and toured the pyramids and saw many ancient sites. The teens were awed by the hot dry sandy desert right next to the mighty river.

At the end of October they set sail to return to Ostia. During the seven week voyage Raben taught them much of his life experiences. He made sure Bjorn was learning to read and write as well as learning about Christianity. After a two week stay in Mazbar they took ship to sail west to the city of Marseille. There they bought horses and set out on the road.

From Marseille they traveled north through the town of Aix en Provence to the Drance River, then they followed the river upstream to just beyond the village of La Saulce. {This portion parallels PD Route A51.} Their path then follows the tributary Le Rousine upstream to the town of Gap. They followed the stream Torrent de la Bonne to the Le Drac following that stream to the Isere River at Grenoble. {This portion parallels PD Route N85.} The route follows the Isere River upstream to just past the village of Pontcharra where it followed the tributary Rousseau du Bob de Loge up into the pass through the village of Les Marches and through the towns of Chambery, Aix les Bains, Annecy, Neydens, to Geneva. {This portion parallels PD Route 41} The trip from Marselles to Barmaz took 13 days.

By then Bjorn had fallen in love with one of Raben’s grandnieces who had made the grand tour. They spent the remainder of the winter learning more so that Bjorn could read and write Latin as well as the German dialect spoken in Barmaz. The young couple married at the spring solstice. Even though they knew life in the north was harsher than life at Barmaz, 24 of Clan Corvo teens, including 3 of those who had accompanied Bjorn on the gand tour, asked to accompany Bjorn north to seek mates of their own amongst his people. Raben agreed to make the journey with them.

So it was that the last week of April the wagons set out for Bonna. The farewells for the teens were tearful since they and their loved ones understood they would most likely never return. The teens were excited about the road trip. They arrived in Bonna four days before Olvir’s ship arrived at the docks.

Raben noticed a sturdy Saxon boat at the docks but the captain and crew were quite disgruntled facing an unsolvable problem. The crew and owner/captain had been together several years and this was to be their last voyage. The captain’s son and friends had accompanied the voyage with the intent to take over after learning the ropes. Unfortunately the son and his erstwhile friends found the work disagreeable and boring. Promptly upon arrival they had leapt off the ship headed to the nearest tavern. The captain and his crew sold off their trade goods and waited for the youths to return. The next day a detachment of Roman troops appeared on the dock looking for the captain. The youths had predictably gotten drunk and not unusually began to brawl. When the town watch arrived the brawl turned deadly. Three locals had been killed and the young crew arrested. The erstwhile crew, including the captain’s son were in jail. The captain was unable to bail them out and they’d been sentenced to slavery for their transgressions. The only way to save them was to buy them at the slave auction but they lacked the coin to buy more than two of the five.

After learning about their dilemma Raben offered a solution. “I’ll buy your ship and take you home as well as get the boys back. There is a Norse vessel that should be arriving shortly. My young friends and I intend to go with them but I fear the vessel will be too crowded with the cargo I’ve brought for their ship. I can get more cargo for your ship, then we can spread the cargo and people between the 2 ships. If you’re willing to sell, you can begin by teaching these youngsters how to handle your ship. Bjorn is Norse and grew up sailing so he already has seafaring experience. Once he learns the quirks of your ship and Captain the ship. When the Norse ship arrives, I’ll introduce you and you can help unload it’s cargo and reload it with my goods. When the Roman’s hold the slave auction, I’ll buy your son and his friends but keep them in irons and use them as slaves to row the Norse vessel. If they ask about you we simply tell them you must have returned home. When we set off, you follow, continuing to train these youngsters how to sail your vessel. You can keep an eye on Bjorn and continue to train the kids while we head to your home port. When we near your home port, signal us to turn in. When we dock, I’ll officially exchange your son and his friends for your ship. That way you can keep the profit you made on this voyage and it will teach your son and his friends a harsh lesson in reality.”

The captain and crew understood it was the best solution and agreed. Raben went to the slave auction and purchased the five destitute chained young men as well as a dozen other healthy slaves. By prearrangement Raben set the Saxons to work mucking the Roman military stables. The Norse vessel arrived and the iron was off loaded and the cargo loaded. Raben explained his plan and the captain checked out the Saxon ship finding it seaworthy. The dozen extra slaves were manacled aboard the Saxon vessel.

The Saxon vessel moved upstream out of sight as Raben collected his five slaves, led them to the docks, and locked them to the oar posts. As they set out he signaled the Saxon vessel to follow. For the next three days they sailed north reaching the North Sea. The slaves were treated harshly but not abused. On forth day the Saxon vessel signaled and the Norse captain ordered the slaves to row into the port. Since their backs were to the port, they didn’t know they were in their home port until they shipped their oars.

Raben leapt off the vessel and called out to the merchants and citizens. “I have five worthless slaves to sell. They might need reminders from the whip but they can work.”

As he was saying that the captain unlocked the young men from their oar posts and lead them by their chains onto the dock. It was only at that point they realized they were in their home port! Shame and humiliation overwhelmed them. The townspeople recognized the five. They had a reputation for bad behavior and sloth. At the same time they saw the Saxon vessel tie up along side the dock. The captain leapt down and stormed to the humbled slaves.

“Father, free us,” the son wept upon seeing him.

“How can I? I have no money to buy you,” he raged. “Your actions cost the lives of three Romans and the Romans sold you into slavery! All the profit we made I had to pay to ransom the ship! You’ve reaped what you sowed!” He then proceeded to give the details of the misdeeds.

The crowd belittled the chained youths and they broke down.

“Good captain,” Raben shouted. “Perhaps we can trade. I head north planning to sell these worthless slaves to the Norse if no buyers are to be found here. However I will trade them for your vessel and all that is aboard with one caveat. Since these five cost the lives of three, I feel they should remain in chains for a month to insure they have learned their harsh lesson.”

The townspeople cheered when the captain accepted. The youths were not freed from their chains. Raben and crews spent the night. The remaining slaves and some of the Clan Corvo teens were split between the two vessels. With Raben on board, Bjorn captained the former Saxon ship out of the harbor behind the Norse ship. The youths put their backs to the task of rowing as did Raben who also handled the sail.

The trip took longer than the last because the green crew needed frequent stops. It took ten days to reach Olvishaugen but by then the teens had grown lean and tough with the girls working right along with the boys. Olvir was delighted to learn that not only had his grandson returned, he had done so with a wife and ship. Although the ship was Raben’s, he’d appointed Bjorn as captain and gave it to him as a wedding gift. Raben was readily accepted as Fiach’s alter-ego. Raben explained the slaves were a gift to Olvir to do the back breaking work of digging the bog ore.

A wedding feast was held for the couple. Those from Clan Corvo were quickly swept up in the party. The Norse found Raben’s relatives pleasing. The Barmaz teens would also teach any interested how to read and write. Bjorn told of his tour to the deserts, Rome and the great fortress of Barmaz as well as the lesser fortresses of Mazbar and Zamrab. That Raben had the loyalty of so many people and owned so much was mind boggling.

Bjorn also told of the wolf pack living in Barmaz, wild but yet tame, and how Raben spoke to them. But learning that even eagles obeyed Raben really impressed the Norse. Raben explained communicating with animals was simply another aspect of his Curse.

After the celebrations of the successful journey, Bjorn sat with Raben in private discussion with Olvir. Bjorn explained: “The key to Raben’s success, and the success of the Romans, is the ability to read and write, to communicate over distances and share detailed data and plans. They also record their deeds and actions so that following generations can read the tales in the doer’s own words! Raben has three scriptoriums that copy writings and has a library with thousands of writings! I’ve learned to read and write as have my wife and those from Clan Corvo who came with us. We can now record what we do and see, we can grow and prosper like Raben has.”

Time on My Hands
Chapter 33: 299-312 CE: The Raven Raiders

“Bjorn is right,” Raben agreed. “Reading and writing is a key to success if it is used by wise men. Outside those of us in Olvishaugen, I doubt if more than a handful of people within 600 miles can read and write. If you keep the ability to read and write a secret within your family, you can create a dynasty just as I have done.”

“That’s all well and good,” Olvir said. “However, it takes wealth to create a dynasty. While we are not poor we certainly are not wealthy nor do we have a greater source of wealth than our neighbors.”

“You are correct and yet wrong,” Raben agreed. “I think you could find one. Iron can make you wealthy. Preserve the iron bogs, do not drain them for farmland. As you expand your land, do so looking for bogs with iron. Perhaps you could even rework the landscape to create more bogs by excavating the earth by a stream filling it with straw, twigs, boughs and such letting the water slowly pass over the rotting material. It will be a lot of work but the effort will, in the long run, be worth it. Maybe not for you but for your descendants. You’ll also want to preserve your forests. I’ve planted trees in places unsuitable for farming. When we cut down trees we plant new ones. You need the wood for buildings, ships, heat, and to make charcoal to process the iron ore. There is a place in Iberia where they’ve cut down all the trees to use in mines. There is a twenty mile hole in the landscape that used to be forest. The land is destitute and poisoned.”

“I saw places like that,” Bjorn said. “Not as bad as what Raben described in Iberia, but people abused the land until it became unproductive. In Barmaz, Raben’s main stronghold, everything is done with the idea of sustainability. Virtually nothing goes to waste. Even the trash is used in one way or another. Doing so lowers expenses.”

“That makes sense,” Olvir nodded. “Bjorn, I’ll put you in charge of sustainability. Use your Clan Corvo friends to teach our people how to live better.”

“If you like, I can send twenty five teen kin every year to marry into your family,” Raben stated. “One year I’ll send 12 boys and 13 girls, the next 13 boys and 12 girls, which should avoid any anguish about finding spouses. They’ll bring knowledge with them to share. If you have any questions or require certain products, send a letter with your requests with the iron shipments.”

Olvir frowned. “You’ll do all this just for our iron?”

“That and more,” Raben explained. “Bjorn has seen our faith in action. On my last trip I mentioned we worship Jesus Christ, the son of the one true God. I am a Christian as are all my people. We do our best to help others. Doing so is part of our belief.”

“Odin will not be happy that there is one supreme God greater than he,” Olvir declared. “I’m not happy with that.”

“You misunderstand,” Raben stated. “Odin is the chief of the Norse gods. Christianity does not deny the existence of Odin or the other gods. It merely states the other gods are under the authority of the one true God whom we call our Father. He is also the Father of the gods like Odin. Much like you as a father rule over your children and grandchildren. You set limits and expectation they follow, but they have the ability to follow your guidance or to go their own way. Our God loves us like his children and we respect and love him like a Father. It is not necessary to abandon Odin and his kin to acknowledge there is a supreme God. A God who loves us like a Father will never force someone to worship him, he wants his children to approach him of the own free will and love him the same way. No one is forced to renounce and abandon their gods.”

“That seems like a strange God who will not enforce his worship,” Olvir declared. “He will not punish those who don’t honor him?”

“He does not punish for not honoring him,” Raben explained. “He judges all when they die for how they lived. The good are rewarded, the evil are punished. He can weigh your heart and it is impossible to lie. I’ll be sure to send a consecrated priest next year, one of my kin.”

Olvir nodded. He agreed to the small steady influx of Clan Corvo teens and asked for an additional 4 - 18 year old slaves per year to help with the bog ore. His plan was that each year the 4 oldest slaves would be freed to join his family. That would give the slaves hope and motivation to do good work knowing they’d earn their freedom in 3 years. When not digging ore the slaves would enlarge the bogs or do other major excavation and forestry work.

Raben advised another thing. “As you grow wealthy and expand your holding, others will notice and grow jealous. If they decide to attack you, they will most likely do it when you are at your weakest, such as when you send ships south to trade or out to sea to fish. I face similar situations so I have established a militia in which I train everyone, male and female, age thirteen and over to be warriors. But not as individual warriors, I train them to work together as teams. At thirteen they do an initial two month training course. All train two days every month and two weeks a year to stay fresh. They learn tactics and how to take orders. They are also trained to act on their own in case their leadership is away or injured. Everyone remains in the militia until they can no longer fight in any capacity. In addition, any prisoners are kept for ransom, which can be anything of value, wealth, land, servitude or whatever you deem to be to your advantage. But be fair and just in your demands. Don’t get greedy. Your neighbors will learn of your fairness and respect you. If no one wants to ransom a prisoner, they become a slave. If they cooperate free them after 3 years and if they swear fealty to you, accept them as your kin. If they are recalcitrant and resist, warn them once before you castrate them. That gentles the meanest man.”

Olvir saw the wisdom in that and agreed to institute a militia, especially since Raben was there to set it up and his Clan Corvo people could demonstrate their abilities which were discovered to be quite impressive. Over the winter Raben set up and trained Olvir’s people as a militia. Olvir and Raben had many more discussions about the one supreme God. Olvir wasn’t ready to abandon Odin, but he was open to learning more about Christianity. By the spring solstice, all the Clan Corvo teens married Olvir’s grandchildren. Bjorn had learned much in his time with Raben and his wisdom showed as he guided his family towards sustainability. Olvir was proud of his grandson and began grooming him to one day take over. Together with those from the Clan Corvo, they revitalized and brought vital knowledge to Olvishaugen. Raben could see that in years to come, Bjorn would rise to be the next chief, earning the respect of all on the Fjord as they maintained ties and yearly trade with Barmaz. The exchange of kin would also continue.

When Raben returned to Barmaz at the end of May 300 he took the time to examine the Barmaz Bailiwick. The defenses were strong. Defense walls and 300 feet tall glacies surrounded every part of the estate. The defense walls were expanded inward with stone halls to provide covered passages to move about even in the dead of winter. The Barmaz militia established a headquarters, arsenal, and training grounds on the slopes above Vieze de Morgins between the villages of Morgins and Troistorrents (GM 46.233995, 6.884010). The lower elevations suitable for growing grains was cleared for farming. The steeper areas were terraced to allow farming. Trees were planted in the higher altitudes and on slopes too steep to terrace. The work of re-engineering the Barmaz Bailiwick was ongoing as were his yearly tours to Mazbar and Zamrab.

Arrangements were made to recruit twenty five boys and girls to relocate to Olvishaugen to marry into the Norse family. Each year 4 slaves would be purchased and sent north. Raben selected a priest to send north, already married to an educated woman with 2 children. Raben made sure he understood the necessity to incorporate the Norse pantheon into the Christian faith. It was Raben’s intent to head north to visit Olvishaugen roughly every five years or so.

The greatest concern was for the safety of those Clan Corvo members living outside the Barmaz Bailiwick. The population of the Clan Corvo was growing at 2% a year so the population was now 574.000+ in an area of 10700 square miles. {Just over the size of the US state of Massachusetts} The Clan Corvo militia was well trained but quite spread out. Manned watchtowers were constructed along the border areas with alarm bells to summon a call to arms. Smaller repeater towers were built within hearing distance to spread the warning, however, the system was slow and a faster means of communication was needed.

To accomplish all he needed, it was time to create a full time military. Since the militia was not gender specific, neither would the military. To this end he asked for male and female volunteers. The Raven Raiders would be the elite full time core of the Barmaz Militia. One division a year would be created until Raben felt he had enough troops. A Squad was made up of 1 corporal, 6 privates and 3 ravens [7m,3r]. A Section was made up of 3 squads led by 1 sergeant, 1 corporal and 1 raven [23m&10r]. A Troop was made up of 3 sections plus 1 Lieutenant, 1 Staff Sergeant, 1 Corporal, 1 Private, 2 ravens and 1 wolf [79m,32r,1w]. A Company was made up of 3 troops plus 1 Captain, 1 Master Sergeant, 1 Corporal, 2 Privates and 3 ravens [242m,99r,3w]. A Battalion was made up of 3 Companies plus 1 Colonel, 1 Major, 1 Lieutenant, 1 Chief Master Sergeant, 1 Corporal, 4 Privates, 5 ravens, 1 artillery squad made up of 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, 9 privates and 4 ravens manning 1 onager and 3 scorpios and 1 eagle [746m,306r,9w,1e]. A Brigade was made up of 3 battalions plus 1 Brigadier General, 1 Major, 3 Lieutenants, 1 Sergeant Major, 3 Sergeants, 2 Corporals, 7 Privates and 9 ravens [2256m,927r,27w,3e,3artillary]. A Division was made up of 3 brigades plus 1 General, 1 Colonel, 1 Major, 1 Captain, 2 Lieutenants, 1 Command Sergeant Major, 2 Sergeants, 3 Corporals, 7 Privates and 10 ravens [6786m,2791r,81w,9e,9artillary]. An artillery squad was made up of 1 sergeant, 1 corporal, 1 onager{3m,1r}, 3 scorpios{2m,1r ea} [11m&4r]. The four pieces were mounted on sturdy custom built wagons drawn by 4 horses with each artillery piece having a second wagon for ammunition. The ammunition wagons were reinforced and divided to secure ceramic fire bombs which were wrapped in fleece padding and rested on a bed of straw. Even if the outer shell broke, it would be extremely difficult to break the juglet acting as a trigger.

Unless stationed in a particular location, the Raven Raiders were to be mounted so they could quickly deploy. They were equipped with pink bucklers emblazoned with a green cross and a raven in upper right quadrant. Each troop marched under pink triangular banner emblazoned with a green cross, a raven, and their unit designation. Divisions were Roman Numerals by order of formation; Brigades were A, B, or C; Brigades were D, E, or G, Battalions were H, J or K, Companies were L, M or O, Troops were P, S or T.

With their high intelligence, Raben enjoyed talking to ravens wherever they crossed paths. Because he could have conversations with them, the ravens considered Raben to be a raven in human form. One day while he was in Barmaz, as Raben was talking to a raven he had an idea, actually several ideas. Once he fleshed out the ideas he first discussed it with a ‘conspiracy’ of ravens. In exchange for providing a steady food supply and safe roosting, the ravens would work for Raben. They would be provided with protected roosts at each watch tower and outpost, in effect being stationed there. They would perform flying observation patrols over the mountains and borders keeping their sharp eyes looking for possible threats. In addition, a few would have an additional job. Small lightweight watertight leather courier bags were made that could be fastened to a raven with a small harness. A message could be written on a slip of paper then rolled and placed in the bag. Raben explained to the ravens selected to be messengers that when they were given a message they were to fly to the Barmaz militia headquarters. There the message could be retrieved and the raven would return to where it had set out with a reply. Those militia or Raven Raider members who would be dispatching and retrieving messages would be taught simple hand signals to enable basic communication with the intelligent ravens who could report/reply by positioning their head such as one movement for all clear, another for warning and so on. Thus if they saw a threat they could report by the pre-arranged ‘vocabulary’ and indicate the direction by aligning their body with the beak the pointer. Messages could be spread by Ravens set up on specific routes.

Diocletian issued his "Edict against the Christians" in 303. The edict ordered the destruction of Christian scriptures and places of worship across the empire, and prohibited Christians from assembling for worship. The edict was harshly enforced in the eastern part of the empire but haphazardly in the west. The wealth of those persecuted was confiscated by the empire.

Raben already had orders in place that at the first inkling of persecution all Christian writings were to be hidden in prepared hiding places. Since all Clan Corvo established churches were held in pre-existing barns, there was no obvious place of worship. Barmaz wasn’t effected, Mazbar simply went stealth, but Zamrab was the most effected. The Christians Copts were prevalent in Egypt and several Christian Schools were in Alexandria. They were hit hard by the crackdown. Zamrab’s location outside the city gave them enough time to hide the evidence of their Christianity.

Raben was in Mazbar in April 304 when Bishop of Rome Marcellinus died. The Christian persecution, while relatively subdued in Rome, was still deadly. The meeting places and some of the burial places of the faithful had been confiscated, and the ordinary life and activity of the Church was interrupted. With the heat on, the Bishops were unable to gather to select a successor. Raben left in May for Barmaz.

The emperors Diocletion and Maximian agreed to jointly retired in 305, elevating Constantius and Galerius as the new emperors. They in turn appointed two new Caesars, Severus in the west and Maximinus in the east. When Constantius died in 306, his troops declared his son, Constantine, emperor. Galerius was furious but knew denial of Constantine would mean war. Galerius granted Constantine the title "Caesar" rather than "Augustus" which went to Severus. Constantine wisely accepted the decision avoiding a war. Jealous, Maxentius, son of Maximian, declared himself Emperor in Rome. Galerius ordered Severus into Italy to deal with the usurper. Severus moved towards Rome at the head of an army previously commanded by Maximian. Fearing the arrival of Severus, Maxentius offered the retired Maximian the co-rule of the empire. When Severus arrived under the walls of Rome his men deserted him for their old commander. Severus was captured and eventually killed. The joint reign of Maxentius and Maximian over Italy and Africa was firmly established. In April 308, Maximian tried to depose his son but failed and fled to Constantine.

Raben was in Rome at the time and despite the imperial turmoil, was instrumental in summoning a meeting of the Bishops within the safety of the walls Mazbar. On May 27, after four years without a Bishop of Rome, they were able to elect Marcellus.

An imperial conference was held on the Danube in the autumn of 308. Maxentius was denied recognition as emperor while Licinius was appointed co-Emperor in the west with the task of regaining the usurper's domain. Storm clouds gathered as the Roman legions were once more set against each other.

When Raben arrived in Rome from Barmaz in November 308 he found the Christian community in turmoil. At the height of the Diocletian persecution many Christians had given up their scriptures and burned incense as an offering to the Roman gods in order to save themselves. Unfortunately by doing so they lost their standing in the Church. Once the threat ended a large number of those who had fallen away during the long period of active persecution demanded that the new Bishop of Rome readmit them into communion. Marcellus set a penance they had to do before being readmitted to full communion. Many felt they had no need of penance since they had been forced to denounce their faith. Neither side budged and violence erupted. Raben left for Zamrab with the issue unresolved. Due to the violence, Bishop of Rome Marcellus was exiled by Maxentius a month after Raben left. The exiled Bishop of Rome died a few weeks later on January 16 having served less than eight months.

Raben returned to Rome in April 309 in time to join the convocation of Bishops to select a new Bishop of Rome. On April 18 they selected Eusebius to be the new Bishop of Rome. The new Bishop of Rome also insisted that those who had lapsed perform penance. The violence resumed and Maxentius exiled the new Bishop of Rome in August. In 310, Maximian tried to incite a rebellion against Constantine but the army remained loyal resulting in Maximian hanging himself. On August 17, 310 Bishop of Rome Eusebius died in exile. Raben had lived through many chaotic times but the convoluted events of these years were beyond ridiculous. At one point there had been six men claiming to be the emperor of the Roman Empire.

Raben knew things could not continue in the same manner. Things would have to come to a head before calm returned. Raben felt that, although not wanting it, he would be in the vanguard for at least part of it. It began when Galerius became incapacitated with a painful disease. Fearing, perhaps, that his illness was the vengeance of the Christian God, On April 30, 311 his final official act was an edict proclaiming an end to the persecutions of Christians and the resumption of religious toleration. Maximinus mobilized against Licinius seizing Asia Minor resulting in a hasty peace. In July of 311 Miltiades was selected as the new Bishop of Rome while Raben was in Barmaz. With all the turmoil in the empire Raben decided to stay in Barmaz. While Constantine inspected Britain and Gaul, Maxentius prepared for war fortifying northern Italy. Maxentius' rule grew shaky in the wake of heightened tax rates and depressed trade. Riots broke out in Rome and Carthage. Maximinus recognized Maxentius in exchange for military support.

By then travel became nearly impossible as war preparations continued on all fronts. Constantine’s advisers cautioned against attacking Maxentius since his soothsayers forecasted against it, stating that the sacrifices had produced unfavorable omens. With a spirit that impressed his followers, inspiring some to believe that he had supernatural guidance, Constantine ignored all cautions.

In the spring of 312 Constantine led 40,000 men into the upper Rhone valley to cross the Alps via the Poeninus Mons. As they passed by Monthey, Constantine was stunned to see the mountains had been made over into massive fortifications. Raben rode out to greet Constantine, introducing himself as Senator Corvo and that the massive fortifications of Barmaz was his estate.

Knowing that many senatorial titles were inherited, Constantine asked how Raben came to be the current senator.

Raben explained how his grandfather had been given the hereditary title for saving the life of Emperor Gallienus 46 years before and that he was the designated inheritor. Then he invited the Emperor and his staff inside the Barmaz Bailiwick for their evening meal.

Needless to say Constantine and his staff were amazed by the massive defensive works as well as the lush terraced farmland and Alpine pastures. All were stunned by the tome filled halls of the Corvus Scriptorium Library, now the largest library in the world. Raben explained he was head of the Clan Corvo who had occupied the estate for 117 years and that all 728,000+ members of the Clan Corvo were his relatives who were peaceful, well fed and happy people inhabiting the estate and 10700 square miles of the upper and lower Rhone river valley.

Like many in power, Constantine had been aware of the existence of the Clan Corvo but had no idea they were so large. That was due to Raben doing his best to have the Clan Corvo maintain a quiet low profile while supporting the empire. Impressed, Constantine asked if, as a loyal Roman, Raben could lead a contingent of his militia to join him on his campaign.

Raben smiled. “Please hear me out before reacting. I cannot send any militia. We are a peaceful clan. We built our defenses to avoid war. The militia is made up of EVERY male and FEMALE Clan Corvo member 13 years old and up until they are no longer capable to serve. The militia is designed and trained for self defense. However, we do have a core of full time military. I’ll personally lead a Brigade of Raven Raiders. Just so you know, the Raven Raiders are mixed gender soldiers, one third are female.”

That surprised Constantine. Greek literature spoke of ancient fierce Amazon warriors and many barbarian women took up arms. Constantine accepted Raben knew what he was doing and spent the night inside the Barmaz Bailiwick.

In the morning as Constantine’s troops were forming for the march when Raben led the Brigade of mounted Raven Raiders from the entrance of the Barmaz Bailiwick. The sight was quite impressive. The pink bucklers of the 2256 men and women emblazoned with a green cross and a raven in upper right quadrant were distinctive as were the 27 pink triangular banners each emblazoned with a green cross, a raven, and their unit designation of each troop. What was unexpected was to see a wolf trotting beside each troop. They found the 927 ravens flying overhead unnerving as the raven was a traditional omen of death. It took a few moments until they realized the 3 eagles flying majestically above the swarming crows were also part of the unit. Needless to say the unit was quite unique as they joined the imperial legions. Raben just smiled as he lead his Raven Raiders into the march under his personal larger pink banner emblazoned with a raven and a green skeleton.

Raben joined Constantine’s entourage. As they passed by Agaunum Raben pointed out the cemetery and memorial for the martyred Theban Legion. The message of the 600 men unflinchingly devotion to Jesus as well as accepting Imperial authority made an impact on Constantine. Upon reaching Octodurum they found the governor and duce had abandoned their posts and fled with all non-Clan Corvo staff and provincial soldiers as Constantine approached. The two provincial leaders were staunch supporters of Maxentius and correctly feared for their lives.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 34: 312-326 CE: Establishing Another Legend

“I have a suggestion for filling the vacant office,” Raben told Constantine. “I am the only senator with holdings in the province. The other senators who had estates here and to the west in Allobroge sold their estates to my grandfather when the Alemanni destroyed their estates 53 years ago. Barmaz escaped ransacking because we already had the defenses built plus my family is of Celtic and Germanic descent. The founder of the clan and my namesake, Raben, was the original Demon Slayer. My twin sister and I are both Demon Slayers. Because of that we were not attacked. The Clan Corvo is so large because my grandfather bought the 240,000 captured Alemanni who were sold into slavery. He brought them back home and married them into the Clan.”

“I have a relative who would be an ideal candidate for provincial governor and another who is head of the Clan Corvo Militia who would be an excellent duce,” Raben continued. “If I may be so bold, when I prove the metal of my Raven Raiders in the upcoming battles, I ask that the Clan Corvo lands in Allobroge be combined with those of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae by imperial decree and that you appoint my candidates for Governor and Duce of the enlarged Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae, and make the positions hereditary to the Clan Corvo since we make up 99% of the population. The Clan Corvo has faithfully served the imperial cause since Emperor Severus, my ancestors and namesakes being the head physicians for the Caledonian Expedition.”

“You certainly are not afraid to ask for Imperial Favor,” Constantine chuckled. “I’ll appoint your relatives temporary governor and duce. If you can prove that you are indeed the Demon Killer, I’ll issue a writ declaring the Clan Corvo to be the hereditary governor and duce of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae as well as expanding it to encompass the Alloborge territory owned by the Clan Corvo.”

“You won’t be dissatisfied with your decision,” Raben answered with a bow.

As they headed up towards the Alpine pass, Constantine asked Raben to ride with him. Raben answered Constantine’s questions about the Clan Corvo and the Demon Slayer. The emperor, like all educated men of the empire, knew that Corvus Scriptorium was the premier source of books, but had not known Barmaz was the primary center, having only been aware of the Rome and Alexandria offices. Raben also explained he was a skilled Ianuarian.

Constantine had difficulty believing the small youth was the current incarnation of the legendary Demon Slayer. But it did explain his affinity for animals considering the eagles, wolves, and ravens accompanying the Raven Raiders. When he questioned Raben about his soldiers being equipped with pink bucklers emblazoned with a green cross and a raven, Raben explained he and they were Christians, the green cross signified life and the pink the sanctified blood of Jesus. Then he added that while they didn’t want to die, their faith made them unafraid of death. That gave Constantine food for thought.

Constantine’s troops adapted to the Raven Raiders as they crossed into Italy. Everyone noticed the women were expected to do everything the men did and the men clearly respected the women. With the eagles and ravens flying ahead, Raben was able to report opposition troop movements and positions. As they prepared to take a town the ravens spooked the defenders making it easier for Constantine to take town after town with virtually no fighting. Following Raben’s wise advice, Constantine did not sack the towns but accepted their pledge of loyalty as they opened their gates. As they approached Rome a large force of Maxentian cavalry attacked, but thanks to the advance warning by the ravens they were trapped and chewed up. The remnants of the battered calvary, 385 men, clustered atop a small hill to bravely await their end. To their surprise Constantine’s troops drew back but stayed within sight of the treeless hilltop. Then a mass of cavalry thundered through the Roman lines forming a lance bristling circle about the entrapped warriors as 927 ravens and three eagles flew overhead krocking and screeing. The mounted men carried pink shields embossed with a green cross and raven. The mounted troops carried 27 pink banners also embossed with a a green cross and raven. In front of each banner stood a wolf. Needless to say the men were spooked.

Then a small figure rode through the line of cavalry carrying a large pink banner emblazoned with a raven and a skeleton. He impudently rode to their ragged lines where he jammed the standard into the ground so it stood on it’s own.

“I am Raben Corvo, head of the Clan Corvo and leader of the Raven Raiders surrounding you,” Raben called out. “Lay down your weapons and live.”

The soldiers were unsure and hesitated as they noted Constantine and his troops were watching as well as the hundreds of Ravens and 3 eagles flying overhead.

“Time’s up,” Raben called out. Snatching a bow hung on the saddle he began firing arrows into the men as his horse charged forward. With each arrow a man fell. He dropped six men before returning the bow to it’s pouch and pulling two swords just before he rode into their midst. Raben sent out empathetic fear to their horses causing the weary horses to rear and buck in terror. The ravens and eagles added to the confusion by swooping down amongst the chaotic milling. The cavalry men screamed as they were slashed by the birds. Raben rode amongst them mentally guiding his horse while causing the opposing horses to turn to expose their riders. Several men panicked and broke for freedom only to be dropped by the arrows of the surrounding Raven Raiders. For five minutes Raben rode unchecked through the growing panic of the defeated cavalry before riding out from their diminished ranks to stop by his banner.

“I am also known as the Demon Slayer. I am unstoppable and unkillable. Once more I offer you a chance to live, but this time as slaves,” Raben called out as the wolves trotted out to join him from the ranks of his troops. At the same time the eagles flew down, landing on his head and on each shoulder. The ravens landed on the horse, wolves and ground.

The now terrified men looked about their shattered ranks. Of the 385 that the Demon Slayer attacked, 86 lay dead. The 5 who fled were cut down by the Raven Raiders. One man cursed, charging at Raben. The others quickly followed. The eagles screamed and took to the sky as did the ravens. The wolves howled and side by side with Raben met the ragged charge as the birds and wolves fully joined the fray. The chaos was unbelievable as men screamed and fell. Eyes were plucked out and faces torn apart by claws. The wolves caused the horses to panic and savagely ripped the throats out of any man who fell. Terrified, men fled back to the hilltop. The wolves, eagles and ravens made short work of finishing off the wounded as everyone watched in horror. Raben had slain another 63 and the wolves, ravens and eagles had accounted for another 47.

The surviving 189 men, most still mounted on exhausted terrified horses, stood on the hill amongst the unmanned horses of their dead comrades. The eagles again perched on Raben’s shoulders, the wolves stood by his horse, and the ravens perched upon dead. Raben let out a wolf howl answered by the wolves as the eagles screeched and ravens krocked.

“My friends,” Raben called out to the wolves, ravens and eagles. “I give you leave to enjoy a rare feast!” At Raben’s signal the birds and wolves began feasting upon the flesh they’d help kill. The gore covered Raben plucked his banner from the ground and waved it about. The Raven Raiders moved forward with lances lowered.

“Again I call on you to surrender,” Raben shouted.

The survivors were clearly frazzled but stayed silent awaiting their fate,

At Raben’s signal, a troop swept through the men leaving their 79 lances embedded in now dead men.

"Again I call on you to surrender," Raben shouted to the 110 survivors.

Although their spirits were nearly crushed, their discipline kept them defiant.

Raben again signaled a troop to sweep through the men. Another 79 lances were left embedded in the now dead men.

“I give you one last chance to surrender,” Raben called out. “One more charge will wipe you out. I give you my word as the Demon Slayer if you surrender, you will be allowed to go free! Emperor Constantine will support my oath.”

Constantine was caught off guard by this but had already learned Raben was quite wily so there was a purpose to his words. Constantine signaled his approval.

The exhausted men were broken. They dropped their weapons and waited. Raben signaled his men to collect the prisoners as well as gathering their weapons and horses. The legend of the Raven Raiders was born as the deadly efficiency of the Demon Slayer was enhanced.

Constantine and his men were simultaneously awed and terrified of Raben. Even having witnessed the carnage he personally wrought they didn’t understand how it had been possible. While the birds and wolves gorged on the fresh meat Raben calmly rode to Constantine and his staff. The troops parted like the Red Sea as the blood soaked Demon Slayer rode to the emperor.

“Now you know that I am the Demon Slayer and what my Raven Raiders can do,” Raben declared in a voice that carried over the assembled troops. “We are excellent marksmen with bows even while at a full gallop. With my animals we are inspire fear, our charge is one of shock and awe. Let the tale of this carnage be told and spread. All will tremble with fear at our approach.”

No one disputed Raben’s claims.

Raben smiled and spoke in a lower voice for Constantine and his staff. “When released, these prisoners will spread the word of our ferocity and all who face the Raven Raiders will tremble with fear when they learn they face us!”

Constantine fully understood Raben’s reasoning. Psychological warfare was quite effective.

No one disputed Raben as he turned, returning to his by then satiated wolves and birds. They bathed in a nearby stream to cleanse the blood from their bodies. When Raben rejoined the Raven Raiders in their camp the warriors were quiet. Although they were skilled and had a lot of practice, they had never before witnessed a battle much less participated. Never had they seen the carnage of war death. Now they had. They understood why Raben had insisted that as part of their training they bathe in the still warm blood of freshly killed animals to accustom themselves to the smell, feel, and taste of death. They had witnessed their beloved leader become the living incarnation of the dreaded Demon Slayer. They would never again doubt his training regimen or his orders and advice. They also believed him when he told them he hoped the day’s killing would be sufficient to create an aura of invincibility and terror amongst their foes so they’d flee the field of battle rather than face them.

The released prisoners fled for their lives to Rome spreading their story of facing the unstoppable Demon Slayer and his Raven Raiders.

On October 28, 312, the sixth anniversary of his reign, Maxentius advanced north from Rome with 80,000 men to meet Constantine in battle. He’d destroyed every bridge across the Tiber except one forcing the battle to be held on ground of his choosing. Constantine had a dream the night before the battle advising him to mark the heavenly sign of God on the shields of his soldiers, the cross of Christ but in red rather than green like the Raven Raiders carried. The two sides lined up facing each other across the chosen battle ground. Then Constantine’s lines opened allowing the 2256 mounted warriors of the Raven Raiders accompanied by their 27 wolves to form in line with lances lowered, pink shields at the ready and banners flying as 3 eagles and 927 ravens flew in a menacing circle above them. Then a lone small rider rode out in front of them with the wolves gathering about him. The swarm of raucous ravens flew in circles over the rider’s head as the 3 eagles landed on the diminutive rider’s head and shoulders.

“I AM THE LEADER OF THE RAVEN RAIDERS,” Raben called out in a voice that carried clearly over the field. “I AM KNOWN AS THE DEMON SLAYER. MY WOLVES, RAVENS, EAGLES AND I ARE EAGER TO FEED UPON YOUR FLESH AS WE DID ON THE CAVALRY WE DESTROYED! I LOOK FORWARD TO SENDING YOUR SORRY ASSES TO CHARON!” With that he tilted his head back and howled like a wolf with his wolves joining in the fear inducing wild salute.

Raben drew two swords and urged his horse forward. The screaming eagles took to the air leading the swarming krocking ravens forward as the wolves galloped alongside Raben’s thundering charging stallion. Behind him the Raven Raiders gave out what 19th century Union soldiers named the blood curdling banshee like Rebel Yell as they lowered their lances and thundered behind Raben as they assaulted the massed lines of Maxentius’ troops. Constantine’s other troops shook their fear to let loose their own yells and followed the Raven Raider charge.

Maxentius' troops broke before Raben and the Raven Raider’s mounted charge reached their lines. Many threw down their shields and swords fleeing in terror. The battle was a total rout as Maxentius fled with his panicked men. As the stampeding masses crowded together to cross the sole bridge over the Tiber many were pushed or tumbled over the sides, including Maxentius. Since most were still in their armor, like Maxentius who went over the sides still on his horse, they drowned.

The legend of the Raven Raiders was cemented in history. The mere sight of a pink banner sent unbridled fear into the hearts and minds of any who might oppose them. Even worse was the intimidating terror of their small leader, the by then infamous Demon Slayer.

The Raven Raiders escorted Constantine as he entered Rome on October 29 to be met with popular jubilation. Raben settled the Raven Raiders into Mazbar for the winter. While doing that he wondered if messenger Ravens could be used to communicate between Barmaz, Mazbar, Zamrab and possibly Olvishaugen. Raben sought out and questioned the conspiracy of Ravens that served with the Raven Raiders. It turns out the wily corvids were able to remember a place once they had been there. So the ravens with him should be able to fly to Barmaz. Constructing a set of courier bags and harnesses, he recruited a local raven to accompany one of his Raven Raiders ravens in a trip to Barmaz. The two ravens took flight. Four days later they returned, having made the cross Alp trip in one day, rested two days, then returned in one day. Once at a location, the ravens would be able to return so it was possible to set up raven mail between Mazbar, Barmaz, Zamrab or even Olvishaugen. The intelligent birds would be able to fly home on their own, or to fly back and forth. Raben taught several local ravens and members of the Mazbar militia how to communicate.

Raben decided to make a trip to Zamrab to exchange ravens and train their militia in human/raven communications. While there he was impressed by the size and appearance of several Arabian horses, riding several. With much negotiation he purchased a small herd of all black Arabian horses, two stallions and ten mares, to be shipped to Ostia and then on to Barmaz. His intentions were to raise a herd to serve as mounts for the Raven Raiders. In the spring, he brought six Mazbar ravens with him to Barmaz.

Raben ordered forts built and manned at all entrances to Clan Territory and river crossings of the Rhone below Geneva. A survey was also conducted to determine Clan Corvo borders that could be easily fortified and defended like the walls of the Barmaz Bailiwick.

In February 313 Constantine met Licinius in Milan to secure their alliance by having Licinius marry Constantine's half-sister, Constantia. The co-emperors agreed on and issued the Edict of Milan, officially granting full religious tolerance to Christianity. It also restored confiscated properties to Christian congregations and exempted Christian clergy from municipal civic duties. The edict expressed a will to honor any Divinity whatsoever in the seat of the heavens and all religions in the Empire.

When Raben returned to Barmaz he openly assumed duties as Bishop of the Diocese of Barmaz. He commissioned the construction of churches inside the defenses with the Church of the Raven in Champery the seat of his See. Other churches were built throughout the lands of the Clan Corvo. At Agaunum he commissioned the Church of St. Maurice to commemorate the Theban Legion. Raben ordained the priest of each church from amongst the Clan Corvo. In addition he created the Clan Corvo University to provide higher education for clan scholars. Schools of Mathematics, Science, Agriculture, Engineering and Religion were established. The School of Religion would impress the personal revelations Raben received from Ianuaria and the need to keep that knowledge in the clan. A kinsmen now served as provincial governor and duce with both being hereditary clan positions. This meant the provincial troops of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae were now under command of the Clan Corvo. Clan Corvo members were appointed to all command, clerical, staff and logistical positions in the government and militia. In addition he made sure the Clan Corvo controlled portion of northeastern Allobroge formerly in the province of Viennensis was transferred to the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae by direct writ of Emperor Constantine. Those in Viennensis were not happy but since both provinces were part of the Roman Diocese of Gallia, the higher authorities didn’t care so the transfer was made official.

In the east, Licinius and Maximinus fought several battles until Licinius’ troops won in August 313. Licinius became sole Emperor in the East, while his brother-in-law, Constantine, was supreme in the West. Licinius immediately rushed to the east to deal with another threat, this time from the Persians.

The production of Christian writings resumed in the Corvus Scriptoriums. Barmaz had suffered no significant impact from the persecutions. Mazbar had to keep things tight as the imperial power struggles raged about it. The defensive wall construction Raben had ordered kept the local and imperial political turmoil at bay. Zamrab was the most vulnerable to the winds of political discord. Now that it was legal to be a Christian the different traditions and beliefs came into conflict with all sides charging the others with blasphemy. Not only did the Christians fight amongst themselves, now that they were safe from persecution because of their faith, they turned against the Jews persecuting those who killed Jesus. Christian and Jewish and Zoroastrian writings were collected and sent to Mazbar which forwarded them to Barmaz. There they were copied and stored in the hidden archives with copies placed in the Corvus Scriptorium Library. Anyone requesting copies would get them made from the copy in the Library and dispatched to the customer.

An on and off civil war erupted between Licinius and Constantine. Raben did his best to keep himself and his interests out of the conflicts. Constantine prevailed at every fight but had no desire to destroy his co-emperor. The next year a new war erupted only for Licinius to suffer a humiliating defeat. The emperors again reconciled. Over the next years, the co-emperors maintained an uneasy truce. Licinius kept himself busy with a campaign against the Sarmatians in 318, but tempers rose again in 321 when Constantine pursued some Sarmatians who had been ravaging some territory in his realm, across the Danube into what was technically Licinius’s territory. When he repeated this with another invasion, this time against the Goths, Licinius complained that Constantine had broken the treaty between them. Constantine wasted no time going on the offensive. Licinius's fleet was defeated by Constantine's fleet in 323. Then Constantine defeated Licinius’ army on July 3, 324, successfully shutting Licinius within the walls of Byzantium. Another defeat of the larger fleet of Licinius in the Battle of the Hellespont compelled his withdrawal to Bithynia. A last stand was made near Chalcedon on September 18, resulted in Licinius' final submission. Licinius was spared due to the pleas of his wife, Constantine's sister, and interned at Thessalonica. In 325 Constantine accused Licinius of plotting against him and hanged him. Constantine became the sole emperor of the Roman Empire, ending the Civil Wars. One of his first acts was to call a meeting of Christian Bishops in the Council of Nicea, an ecumenical council, which was convoked by Emperor Constantine in response to disruptive controversies within the Christian community over the nature of the Trinity. The "heretical" nature of some beliefs was a matter of much debate within the churches. The consensus reached became dogma through the canons declared by the councils with the Nicene Creed being the summation.

During the 13 years of Constantine's reign as co-emperor Raben had been busy with his normal routines and travels. Raven mail was successfully set up between Barmaz, Mazbar, Zamrab and Olvishaugen. Barmaz and Mazbar were one day's flight away from the other. Olvishaugen was thee days away from Barmaz just as Zamrab was three days away from Mazbar.

The year 326 was also one of import for Raben. He was one hundred sixty five years old. That was how old Marcellus Longinus, the Cursed legionnarie, was when then fourteen year old Raben encountered him. With hints from the doomed man Raben figured out how to kill the life weary, disillusioned man unwittingly transferring the curse to himself. Now having attained the same age as Marcellus, Raben realized he was not tired of life nor was he disillusioned. Marcellus had primarily been a soldier whose purpose in life was to take life. By Contrast, Raben was primarily an Ianuarian, a healer who saved lives. That basic difference was critical, allowing Raben to thrive while bearing the Curse. The main thing that bothered Raben was that all too often he had to kill rather than to heal. In combat he’d taken the lives of 556 people. While that was a horrific number for one warrior, it was minuscule when compared with the tens of thousands he saved. So while Raben reached the milestone set by Marcellus, he was in no way ready to end his already long life. Truth be told, he looked forward to accomplishing much more for the greater good of humanity.

Raben’s age also made him wise. Due to his being intersex, he knew the frustration of not being able to ‘fit’ into the ‘normal’ male or female peg holes. His time with Egalabalus had revealed the variations of human sexuality. Some were perversions, but most were simply different. Society often ignored those who were different. Most who were different tried to hide their proclivities due to public pressure.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 35: 326-330 CE: Repositioning Clan Corvo

Raben wanted better for the Clan Corvo. To this end he decided to allow same sex couples to marry with the blessing of the Clan Corvo Church. Same sex couples could also start families using surrogates or adoption. Raben understood there could be a difference between a person’s physical sex and their gender. Intersex people like himself would have the right to choose their gender presentation or even to switch back and forth. The right to choose their gender presentation also applied to people who were mentally intersex {transsexual}. In addition, as he had done when inducting the captured Alemanni into the ranks of the Clan Corvo, polygamy was accepted in all it’s forms, polygyny {1 husband, multiple wives}, polyandry {1 wife, multiple husbands}, or a group marriage {multiple husbands and wives}.

Regarding physical sex, only consensual relationships were allowed. It was forbidden for children 12 and under to engage in sex. {Historically it was not unusual for girls to marry at age 13.} Anyone doing so was considered a rapist. If during a sexual encounter a partner says NO, that means the encounter stops. Anyone who forced a person to have sex, even a spouse, was a rapist. The punishment for rape was public castration for males and female circumcision for females. If there was a legitimate question that the sexual relationship was or wasn’t consensual, the supposed rapist was jailed until Raben could question the parties involved. With his empathetic abilities, Raben could determine if the accuser or rapist was telling the truth. The lying party suffered public castration if male or female circumcision if female, then was ejected from the Clan Corvo and sentenced to slavery for the rest of their life. Needless to say, the punishment for involving Raben in a case of was intentionally quite harsh. It served as a deterrent to false accusations and false pleas of innocence.

Raben also made several rules for recruiting a fixed number of people for relocation or other public service. First was the recruits would be adult volunteers ranging between ages 16 to 30. Second was married couples could volunteer. Third was that children under age 15 did not count towards the adults needed. Fourth was that unmarried adults were to be a 50/50 mix of male/female and would be expected to eventually marry and start families although exceptions were made for same sex relationships. Fifth was that if the number of volunteers fell short of the number needed, a draft was conducted.

To that end a lottery system was drawn up to select those to be drafted. All able bodied men and women between the ages of 16 and 30 were in the draft. If the draftee is married, their spouse and children will automatically be included. If the extended family or a part of the extended family wants to stay together, they can volunteer to join the draftee. The same will apply to the partner of those who have yet to marry. In this way it would reduce the number of draftees needed.

Raben had not been idle while the ever present imperial turmoil roiled the Roman Empire. The hierarchy of the Church in the region of Barmaz/Octodurum consisted of members of the Clan Corvo. After serving thirty eight years he resigned as bishop of Barmaz, being succeeded by one of his kin, his not aging once more being a major factor. In addition, the Clan Corvo had grown to 961,000+ people. They had either married into and absorbed the entire population of the expanded province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. The few who resisted had slowly died off or move away. The Clan Corvo militia training provided skilled recruits for the Raven Raiders who served as the provincial troops of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. All officers, all non commissioned officers and enlisted personnel were members of Clan Corvo They owned 100% of the expanded province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. All Clan Corvo members still had lifetime militia commitments. In the event of an invasion, they could retreat into Barmaz Bailiwick. All excess food supplies were kept in Barmaz. Raben had even greater plans to begin implementing.

By 326 Raven Raiders were stationed at the many fortifications guarding the entrances into the expanded boundaries of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. Central bases with quick response units were established. Every mountain pass and canyon giving possible access was included in the extensive system. The units were rotated on a regular basis to prevent boredom. In addition, the effective raven messenger system and airborne observers were a vital part of the expansion.

All along the recently acquired Alloborge area Rhone, work was being done. Starting at Geneva, section by section, the southeastern shore of the river was isolated by the use of wooden coffer dams 15 feet from the shore. Trenches 60 feet wide and 15 feet below the streambed were excavated and leveled. The trench was filled with cut and fitted stone to form a solid construct 55 feet wide and 15 feet tall. The next stonework atop that was 30 feet high. The interior wall was vertical, flush with the interior of the base structure. The stream side began 7 feet in from the outer edge of the base, rising to form a 75°glacis. {8 feet thick at the base, 30 feet 90°upright, 31 feet 75° slope} The glacis was integral to the 40 feet wide by 30 feet high wall supporting it. Once the glacis was completed, the coffer dam was removed and the river shifted against the glacis.

The main defensive wall was built atop the glacis layer. The outside of the solid stone walls was vertical, 40 feet thick at the base tapering on the inner side to 20 feet thick at the top. Atop that a stone arch arcade with a central height of 7 feet was built with arrow slits facing out and windows facing in. The outside wall of the arcade was 5 feet thick with the inside wall 18 inches thick. The space 13.5 feet space between the walls provided weather protected access pathway atop the wall, a vital concern during the winter in the higher altitudes. Atop the arcades a gently sloping flat thick slate roof/walkway drained to the inside. The 5 foot thick outer wall of the arcade continued to the level of the top walkway where 18 inch thick crenelated walls provided fighting positions. Round watch towers 60 feet in diameter were 10 feet higher than the wall protruding 10 feet beyond the main outside wall were built every 1000 feet. The outer protrusion was made of solid stone intrinsically built as part of the walls. The arcade extended into and through the watchtower with arrow slots. A stairway led to a second room level with the crenelated walkway of the walls. This room had lookout windows that could be used as arrow slots. Another stairway led to the top room which had stone battlement and lookouts but was topped by a conical sloped wooden roof to protect the guards. On the inside of the walls the round tower went down to ground level. Those walls were 18 inches thick. With the taper of the inner walls that left a rounded first floor room 42 feet long by feet 8.5 feet deep, the second floor was 47 feet long by 13.5 feet deep, third was 52 feet long by 18.5, the fourth floor 57 feet long by 23.5 feet deep. The fifth, sixth and seventy floors were 53.5 feet diameter. Each watchtower served as barracks for the militia guarding the walls.

Similar coffer dams and techniques were used to build defensive walls and eliminate the shore along boundary along the streams La Bourne, Isere River, La Fure, L'Ainan, Le Guiers and the southern shores of Lac Leman from Geneva across the upper Rhone River valley. Stone wall fortified harbors were built at Geneva where the Rhone exited Lac Leman, at the village of Hermance where the stream Hermance entered, at Tougues where the Ruisseau des Lecheres entered, Thonon-les-Bains where the Dranse entered, and at Port Valais where the Upper Rhone entered. The wall continued along the southern shore to {GM 46.413318, 6.930303} into the steep foot of the mountain peak Les Dentaux. The land entrance gate complexes, including those at the stone arch bridges across the Rhone, Le Guiers and Isere rivers, were all similar. The base of gates was identical to the base of the walls along shores complete with 30 feet high 75° glacis. Atop that were twin blockhouses with a 30 feet wide space between them with a arched stone bridge over the gate connecting the blockhouse towers. Because they were atop the glacis, the approach roads had to be ramped to the gate. The ramp was curved to hinder the use of siege towers. The ramp stopped 25 feet from the gate, the gap crossed by a wooden drawbridge. The draw bridge was backed by two iron portcullis’ 2 feet apart. Inside would be a 30 feet wide road between battlement walls 40 feet high. The road formed a dogleg so it was impossible to see from one end of the 1400 feet long kill-zone defile that ended in an exit gatehouse complex identical with the entrance. The kill-zone battlements had 10 feet high towers every 200 feet. A company of Raven Raiders was stationed at each gate complex. At the end of the kill-zone was another set of twin blockhouses identical to the first. The harbors were built along similar designs with the actual docks inside the defense walls.

Stone arch bridges across the lower Rhone were built at Geneva {GM 46.203123, 6.131773}, Plaine {GM 46.175889, 6.000749}, Collonges {GM 46.120303, 5.904547}, Bellegarde-Sur-Valserine {GM 46.103663, 5.819702}, Seyssel {GM 45.958468, 5.832751}, La Loi {GM 45.848936, 5.802870}, Coron {GM 45.754365, 5.708027} and the last at La Bruyere {GM 45.638492, 5.622991} by the Mont de Cordon at {GM 45.632565, 5.627402}, the western most point of the Clan Corvo. A bridge was built across the Le Guiers River at Saint-Genix-sur-Guiers {GM 45.598057, 5.631169} and another at Le Pont-de-Beauvoisin {GM 45.536059, 5.672427}. A bridge was built across the Isere River at Valensole {GM 45.068768, 5.262133}.

The plans called for the channel of the Rhone to be altered at 2 places. Just north of Praille {GM 45.805561, 5.792582} the river was diverted around the north and western sides the small hillock {GM 45.812055, 5.767294} northwest of the small town of Lavours. This eliminated the eastern Rhone channel at Chanaz {GM 45.809077, 5.783765} The other at {GM 45.637071, 5.656057} to divert the Rhone north of the Mont de Cordon.

In addition, work was ongoing to channelize in stone the more substantial streams to prevent erosion and enabling the streams to be stocked with trout and other fish by creating suitable habitats for each species. Weirs were placed just above where the streams exited into the Rhone or Lac Leman to keep the fish from escaping. In addition, most of the smaller alpine streams were dammed to supply water to the terraces for irrigation. They were also working at paving every path and road like the Roman roads thus speeding up movement. Those routes that were critical for troop movement were priorities.

The School of Agriculture at the Clan Corvo University, had taken over tree breeding/nursery. They organized and conducted animal breeding. At the same time concerted efforts were being made to crossbreed grains and other crops to increase hardiness and yields.

Constantine hated the city of Rome and it’s ingrained status quo that was stagnated with bloated governmental bureaucracy. Instead of trying to reform the rampant corruption, he decided relocate the government. To the east was the city of Byzantium, which had already been extensively rebuilt on Roman patterns of urbanism during the preceding century starting with Septimius Severus and Caracalla, who had already acknowledged its strategic importance. The city was dedicated on May 11, 330 and renamed Constantinopolis ("Constantine's City" or Constantinople) when Emperor Constantine took up residence. This effectively moved the capital of the empire. In Rome the senate was stymied, having lost what little influence they could exert whenever the emperor was in Rome. The impact was felt in nearly all aspects of Roman life. Many artists and craftsmen in the city of Rome found their business evaporate as the upper class who supported them as well as the inevitable greedy governmental hangers-on relocated to the city on the Bosporus between Europe and Asia.

Raben knew it would be prudent to set up and open a new office of Corvus Scriptorium near the new capital. Like Mazbar and Zamrab, they needed to be outside the city. A place that was accessible to Constantinople yet separate. The search began.

By this time the populations of Mazabar reached their target population of 2500. Raben knew he’d have to expand the site so began purchasing targeted adjacent properties. Zamrab also had a target population of 2500 but had reached it’s target population in 327. At an average annual 2% population growth, each location had 50 extra people per year. Raben asked for volunteers to temporarily relocate to Barmaz, allowing families to move as a unit.

Raben’s plans called for a great deal of planning. A private port on the Mediterranean would be needed to support the colonial expansion he was undertaking for the Clan Corvo. Marseille was conveniently accessible to the Alloborge area of the Clan Corvo, however the port was already crowded. Looking about he found the nearby Étang de Berre, a brackish 660 square mile lagoon, created at the end of the ice age, located 10 miles northwest of Marseille. More importantly, it was only 12 miles from the southwestern tip of the newly acquired Allobroge area at the town of Aix-En-Provence. The nearly sea level lagoon {16 inches ASL} had a depth variation of between 6 to 9 meters and connected to the Mediterranean via the Chanel de Caronte. Raben purchased a 3 mile by 4 mile 12 square mile site on the northeast side of the lagoon including the villages of Berre-l'Étang and Velaux. Hiring local labor he began constructing twin curving jetties would create a 2 mile long harbor along the shore. Plans called for a 2 mile long shore line stone quay built out far enough from shore to have with docking facilities for 100 ships. Inside the Jetty protected would be anchorage for 200 ships. In addition, a ship yard would be added to build and refit ships. Housing and warehouses would be built ashore. This would be the Clan Corvo port of Zarbam. If anyone questioned why the Clan Corvo was building a port, the answer would be the newly established Corvus Shipping. In addition to the port purchase, he began buying up property in the surrounding area to connect the port to the Allobroge area and secure the coast adjoining the Etang Du Berre, an area of 3300 square miles. Once the land was secured the Clan Corvo could begin walling in those areas.

To get Corvus Shipping started, Raben set the headquarters for Corvus Shipping up in the newly created and under construction Zarbam. Raben headed back to Ostia and the adjacent harbor and shipyard at Portus. Began by Emperor Claudius in 46 CE. A canal was dug from a bend in the Tiber to the Tyrrhenian Sea emptying into a constructed port with moles on both sides to stop the disruptive waves of the southwest winds. In 103 CE inland from the harbor Claudius built, Trajan constructed a second harbor, a hexagonal basin {GM 41.779628, 12.262106 still in existence as Lago Traiana, the harbor of Claudius is silted up and now a mile inland from the sea shore.} enclosing an area of 97 acres connecting by canals with the harbor of Claudius, directly with the Tiber, and with the sea. It was surrounded by extensive warehouses. A huge imperial shipyard was constructed on one side of the hexagonal basin to build and repair ships, make ropes and make canvas.

Raben headed into the offices where he spoke to the director of the shipyard. As a senator, his request for a tour was granted. They were soon visiting the various departments. The guide sat snoozing while Raben spoke to the workers explaining he was starting a shipyard and was in need of experienced master shipbuilders, rope makers, canvas makers and apprentice workers for each. After finding out when their shifts were done he offered to buy them drinks at a nearby inn to discuss matters further.

At the inn Raben paid for the drinks and discussed hiring experienced and men and apprentices in each craft, wanting several dozen men willing to relocate with their families to the northeast beyond Marseilles to work and live. The wages would be better than they now earned and all transportation costs for their families would be covered. The men were told to think it over and discuss it with their families and when he returned in August they could give him their answers. As a precaution he told them if word got out that he was trying to hire them and they lost their jobs they and their families were to go to Mazbar where they could stay until he returned.

Raben also spent time on the docks and inns of Portus and Ostia talking to captains and crews of commercial ships. He let it be known he was starting Corvus Shipping and looking to purchase ships and hire captains and crews. While some commercial voyages would be made, the main purpose was to build up a fleet and train raw recruits as competent crew. In addition, if a captain and ship had contracts, Raben would accept their commitments or pay off the commitment. Several ships, captains, and crew joined the incipient Corvus Shipping. The first priority was to refit the vessels.

Once things were set in motion Raben headed north to Barmaz. There was no shortage of young volunteers, again both male and female, to learn to sail so two weeks later 150 people were dispatched from Barmaz to learn how to sail ships. This group of 150 would form the core of the Zarbam based fleet of Corvus Shipping. The crew rode Corvus Shipping wagons in a convoy with other wagons transporting supplies. They were accompanied by a battalion of Raven Raiders as they traveled south to Zarbam. They arrived a month after Raben left.

The Raven Raiders were assigned to Zarbam to serve as security and to assist and oversee the construction of defenses. Three docks, group housing dormitories, a kitchen/dining building and a warehouse had been built with more in process. By then 10 ships had been bought and based at Zarbam. The sailor recruits met the experienced captains and sailors who were shocked to find women amongst them. They began training on the 10 vessels. As more ships were acquired, they were refitted and the crews began training on them.

Raben prepared for a trip to another Scandinavia but this one would be special. Previously he had sent a note to Olvishaugen via raven mail with several requests including that 20 ships be sent with iron shipment to ferry colonists. In Barmaz in addition to the normal 25 teens moving to Olvishaugen he put out a call for 250 adults, again both male and female, to travel north to spend a year learning ship handling, maintenance and repair and open sea fishing before heading off to colonize an unpopulated island out in the Atlantic Ocean. The adults could be married with children.

Corvus Shipping took over responsibility for the iron shipment wagon convoys heading back and forth to Bonna. Many areas of the Empire were unsafe for commerce except in larger groups. Once established, Corvus Shipping organized regular inter city caravans of their own wagons inviting other merchants, for a small fee, to join their caravan. The fee was cheaper than hiring their own guards plus they benefitted having trained well armed troops. Each Corvus Shipping caravan was accompanied by a unit of the Raven Raiders. The size of the Raven Raider contingent was dependant on the destination and danger. Each armed escort served as training mission for the elite troops. Corvus shipping and the Raven Raiders remained separate but firmly intertwined.

Raben accompanied the 350 adults and children heading north to Bonna to get the yearly shipment of iron. Needless to say the Corvus Shipping caravan was much larger than previous iron trade wagon trains to accommodate the colonists and their supplies. To provide safety they were accompanied by a Brigade of Raven Raiders.

Raben was warmly greeted by the crews of the 3 Norse ships now making the yearly trip from Olvishaugen as well as another 8 vessels from the settlement. Hoping to latch onto the benefits Olvishaugen gained from their relationship with Clan Corvo, 9 ships from adjacent farmsteads made up the needed numbers. On each of his previous visits north he’d bought a ship to add to the vessels at Olvishaugen. This year he bought three. The Olvishaugen crews split up to man the 3 new vessels while the 25 teens, 350 colonists and their children did the same. The Barmaz landlubbers learned the basics of sailing on the trip north.

When Raben first arrived in Olvishaugen 34 years before, Olvris had been the third generation head of a by then robust farmstead with his siblings married into the neighboring farmsteads. Olvris had been a wise and shrewd man who grew wealthy because of his relationship with Raben. Since meeting Raben, the secure yearly sales of iron and the knowledge and skills gained from marrying his grandchildren and great grandchildren as well as nephews and nieces to the 825 members of the Clan Corvo sent north over the years had proven quite advantageous and profitable. Olvris quickly rose to be the leader and founder of a new clan. Due to Raben’s and the Clan Corvo’s influence, Olvris named his emergent clan the Clan Ravn, the Norse word for raven. By this time all of the extended Olvris family were also members of the Clan Corvo, if not by birth then by marriage to the 825 teens who headed north over the years. By the start of 330 the Clan Ravn occupied and controlled an area 27 miles long by 4 miles deep with a population of over 4000. The militia Raben had helped establish, modeling it on his own, was strong and disciplined with everyone thirteen and older active. They had more than adequate military prowess and were able to quickly respond to fend off any foolish attempted depredations. They did not seek to rule over their neighbors nor were they beholding to anyone but Raben.

Raben had been aware that four years before Olvris had retired naming his grandson, Bjorn, his successor. During those four years Bjorn led with guidance from the old man. Bjorn had proved his ability to lead with Olvris openly approving and praising his decisions. Olvris had died just after the start of the year. The burial mound of Olvris was huge, 180 feet in diameter and 20 feet high, befitting a man of his stature and position. {To this day it is one of the largest burial mounds in Norway.}

The Clan Ravn had followed Raben’s advice of not draining the bogs for farmland but instead expanding the bogs. As the clan territory had grown, they even reversed the loss of bogs that had been drained, restoring them as sources of iron. When Fiach first came north, the annual processing of bog iron into raw iron had been a ton {2000 pounds}, half they used the rest they sold. After ten years of territory expansion bog iron production had increased to 2 tons. By 25 years, the expanded/reclaimed bogs came into production increasing processed bog iron to 4 tons. The current production reached 6 tons of processed bog iron. They now used 1 1/2 tons and shipped the remaining 4 1/2 tons south to Barmaz. Due to territorial expansion and the expansion of existing bogs, production of bog iron was increasing by an average of a half ton a year.

Upon arrival at Olvishaugen, Raben was greeted by Bjorn Olvrisson. Under Bjorn, now himself a happy grandfather, Olvishaugen was still growing rapidly. The new ideas brought in from the Clan Corvo were readily adopted by his generation and those that followed. In honor of his mentor, Raben, Bjorn decided that with the continued steady influx of mates from Clan Corvo, that his Clan Ravn was in reality a branch of the Clan Corvo. Bjorn was wise enough to understand that his wife and all his children, grandchildren, siblings, nephews and nieces were Raben’s kin. With Raben never aging, his council and vision was providing firm leadership in guiding the Clan Corvo and had done same for the Clan Ravn.

The crews of the 9 vessels that had assisted transporting the people from Bonna were invited to and accepted invitations to attend a gathering to celebrate Raben’s return and those who came north with him.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 36: 330-343 CE: The Founding of Ramzab

Bjorn stood to speak. “We here at Olvishaugen have Raben Corvo and the clan he founded, Clan Corvo, to thank for our prosperity. We have grown greatly in population and land because of their assistance. My grandfather recognized our relationship with the Clan Corvo by declaring us the Clan Ravn. He was right but too stubborn to fully admit the truth. Yes we are the Clan Ravn, but more importantly, every one of us is also a member of the Clan Corvo. The reality and truth is that we are not two different Clans, but one single clan! Henceforth we shall be know as the Clan Corvo. Raben and Fiach Corvo are the Clan Corvo leaders and thus OUR leaders!

Those of the Clan Corvo cheered, obviously supporting the changes.

“Thank you.” Raben responded. “I humbly acknowledge the leadership of this branch of the Clan Corvo and appoint Bjorn as my deputy and leader of Olvishaugen. I know you will continue to grow and absorb your neighbors. It is also understandable their pride may be hurt by subsuming their fealty to a rival like Olvishaugen. As a first step I suggest we rename this settlement. Olvishaugen is a farmstead which the clan has far outgrown. I founded the Clan Corvo at a place called Barmaz. I established 2 smaller sites for business purposes of the Corvus Scriptorium. At the great city of Rome is Mazbar. At the great city of Alexandria is Zamrab. I recently established a third small site as home port for Corvus Shipping, near the city of Marsailles is Zarbam. The names were made by rearranging the letters of the original Clan Corvo location of Barmaz. I suggest we move our local Clan Corvo headquarters to a new site and name it and by association this entire Clan Corvo settlement, Bazram. In addition, at this time I want to formally invite those neighbors who sent ships to help bring my people north to openly join the Clan Corvo and Bazram. Obviously you were already interested in partaking of the growth and wealth of Olvishaugen. During our voyage here you had a chance to talk to myself and my people just as we grew to know you. You know we are open and honest. Together we can do great things and build a bright future for OUR children and grandchildren. Will you join us by pledging fealty to me?”

Those who had accompanied the voyage had indeed been impressed and even jealous of the Clan Ravn before the trip. What they experienced during the trip north left them even more envious. They knew on their own they could never equal the Clan Corvo. The power, wealth and knowledge that came north was simply impossible to duplicate. They also knew they couldn’t fight the expansion of the Clan Corvo which had already absorbed over a dozen farmsteads. All had children or grandchildren who had married into the Clan Corvo so they had learned of the benefits and allure of their prosperity. Their pride held them back, they didn’t want to pledge fealty to one of their own. Doing so to Bjorn, despite seeing his ability to rule justly and with wisdom was a step too far. However, Raben was not a local, nor would he stay here. At the same time they noted he was clearly head of the Clan Corvo and obviously had Bjorn’s unquestioning fealty. Pledging fealty to Raben would put them on an equal footing with Bjorn salving their pride. With a bit of discussion amongst their individual families, they all agreed to join the Clan Corvo. All were inducted into the Clan Corvo whom warmly greeted their newest clanspeople.

"Our rapid growth and wealth has been noticed by our more distant neighbors,” Raben continued. “They know of our militia and have not dared to openly attack us. Some may grow desperate and do so. To assist with the shift of names I feel we should also shift the location of the Clan Corvo seat of power. That hill to the north {GM 63.754510, 11.273368} is the perfect place to build a fort. It's height dominates the surrounding area. I suggest you terrace the hill in steps of twenty feet with a palisade at the edge so one level overlooks the other. Dig out underground storerooms for food and supplies. It is close enough to the water so you can build docks creating a walled town to the north. It would be a good project for your slaves."

Again everyone approved.

“In my past visits I noticed each farmstead, if they are able, builds their own ships,” Raben stated. “That is practical for smaller holdings. However for a larger holding such as the Clan Corvo it is inefficient. I’d like to see us build a central shipyard where we construct ships. By combining our better shipbuilders in one place they can share their techniques and labor. Instead of taking years to build a ship, by working together we should be able to build a ship in a few months. In the studies I’ve had done, it takes 100 men working 8 hours a day for 1 year to construct a ship. The study started with selecting trees to the finished vessel. We can share the work load, a few skilled men to select trees, unskilled men to fell the trees and transport them to the shipyard. Skilled men to make the planks and keels, skilled men to shape and fit the planks with the help of unskilled men and so on. By working together at one site we can have 20 or more ships in different stages of construction at the same time. Even if it takes 6 months to build a ship I estimate we could produce a new ship every 2 weeks. I think Eisbotn will be the perfect place for the Clan Corvo shipyard. One last thing in this regard... we must insure that any trees felled, except to create more farmland, must be replenished. Additional trees should be planted wherever possible, even on steep hillsides that are currently barren.”

Raben moved on to the main point of his visit. “In my vast reading I’ve found several references to uninhabited islands off the Iberian Peninsula and African Coasts. I’ve pieced together the details of several recorded voyages and have a fair idea where four sets of islands are located. Far out is a 9 island group. The south of them is a 2 island group. Further south is a 7 island grouping, and even further south is another 9 island grouping. The 2 northern groups are uninhabited while the 2 southern groups are inhabited so I want to hold off on those. This year I want to launch a 3 ship exploration mission to find the 2 island group and ensure it is habitable so we can set up a colony there. Since you are the seafaring branch of Clan Corvo, I’d like to have you provide the initial nautical expertise for the Clan Corvo in a joint voyage of discovery and settlement. I’ve brought 250 people to be colonists. They are between 16 to 30 years old, some are married couples with children. In my raven mail note I asked the Clan Ravn for 50 colonists and 30 ships. I’d like the combined 300 adult colonists trained as crew to sail the vessels and learn woodworking skills to build and repair vessels as well as open sea fishing.”

Much discussion was held as Raben laid out his information and maps. Raben’s plans called for Bazram to send 30 ships next spring with Raben putting up the funding to purchase additional vessels if needed. They would sail to pick up an additional 1200 colonists at Zarbam, 1100 from Barmaz and 50 each from Mazbar and Zamrab. Corvus Shipping would have 30 additional ships crewed and waiting. The 300 colonists now here would crew and captain the 30 ships from Bazram to start the new colony while Raben organized crew for 30 additional Caravel style ships from the people of Corvus Shipping. He provided Bjorn enough gold to purchase/build the needed ships. The only addition to the normal supplies for a long voyage, would be a ton of bog iron.

Raben also said he’d increase the number of teens and young adult families from Barmaz journeying north each year to 500, doing so during the spring iron delivery. Barzam would be expected to send crew for 23 vessels. Those would be in addition to the 30 ships for the colony. Bjorn would have to send a raven mail message letting Raben know how many ships he could supply so agents of Corvus Shipping could purchase enough vessels to complete the fleet, gathering them at Bonna. As normal, the basic ship crews would be augmented by those moving north.

The 250 adults from Barmaz as well as 50 adults from Bazram began their year long lessons in shipbuilding, sailing and fishing as well as other tasks. Raben set out with 3 ships and Norse crews to explore the Atlantic Ocean to find the uninhabited dual islands. Raben invited 6 ravens to join the voyage, 2 per vessel, flying ahead of their ship and keeping an eye on the other vessels and potential trouble spots as they traveled. They traveled down the coast of Norway, Jutland, Frisia, Gaul, and the Iberian Peninsula to the Pillars of Hercules putting in at the port of Gibraltar. For the most part they had stayed within sight of the shore as they sailed. They averaged traveling 4-5 days before putting to shore to resupply making it to Gibraltar in 26 days.

Raben went ashore to make arrangements with the locals to beach the ships, resupply and to check and make any needed repairs to the ships. A large sandbar that was a few feet above high tide proved a safe location and the ships beached at high tide. Raben contracted with local fishermen to ferry supplies and provisions. They eagerly supplied whatever was needed in exchange for Raben’s silver coins. On their last evening after they finished their work Raben explained they had completed the easy portion of their journey.

“When we leave we will sail away from the coast,” Raben stated. “We will travel southwest. The islands we seek should be 400 to 500 miles away. We will need to keep the ships together. If the wind fails or we encounter fog we’ll position ourselves in a line, tie the ships together with three lines and if we decide to row will do so slowly so we don’t wear ourselves out. For that matter, whenever we stop, tie ourselves together with three lines. If we do get separated, each ship has 2 ravens who can search out the other ships and guide us together. The ravens inherently know which way is north so they will be direction finder as well as our eyes. The weather looks clear so hopefully we’ll have good sailing. We’ll put ourselves in God’s hands.”

“How can we make sure we stay on a southwest course,” the head captain asked.

“I have a gift from Odin,” Raben answered as he petted the ravens. “I’ll tell the ravens which way I want to head and they’ll help us stay us on that course. My ship will lead and using Odin’s shield to guide us.”

With the ships were repaired and stocked, the next morning at high tide, with the locals helping they pushed off. Raben set himself up in the stern with his kit from which he removed his lodestone ‘toy’. After tying it into place so he could see the disk pointing north he took over the steering oar. On the voyage down Raben had played with the lodestone, matching direction with sailing. He was able to judge their speed by the way the wind filled the sail and the way the ship cut through the water. He’d even practiced keeping on a straight course while tacking through cross winds learning to judge when to turn. He hoped his calculations would be correct.

The winds were from the north east so they had to tack or jibe, as appropriate, into the wind to move southwest. As darkness fell they tied themselves together to be sure they didn’t get separated. They sailed in line from dawn to dusk for three days. Each day the ravens flew ahead of them returning to roost each night. On the fourth day two hours after dawn the ravens returned ‘krocking’ with excitement. They landed by Raben and spoke.

“They’ve spotted land,” Raben called out adjusted the steering oar as the ravens again flew ahead.

A few hours later an excited shout rang out. “Seagulls! I see seagulls!” Everyone turned to follow the pointed finger. Indeed there were several seagulls off to one side! As they searched the sky they saw more birds as the Ravens returned. The spirits of everyone soared just like the birds. They stayed the course. By mid afternoon they saw an island about 10 miles away to the southeast. As they neared it they saw it was rocky with four much smaller rocky islets. The ravens had done a flyover survey of the island and reported their findings to Raben.

“We want the next island,” Raben shouted as they sailed around the north side of the small island. They stayed at least half a mile out to avoid any shoals and checked out the inhospitable high rocky shore. “The Ravens have told me this island is about a mile wide and 5 miles long. The south side has sandy beaches but the vegetation is sparse with little sign of running water.”

The ravens took to the air again once more heading before them. As they sailed past the island they saw a much larger island (PD Madeira) about 26 miles further southwest. Continuing straight they approached the northeast corner of the island, then turned to cruise west along the northern shore.

The northern shores of the island were tall and rocky but they could clearly see lush green vegetation. Several narrow ravines cut through the heights to the sea. They could see many had streams with flowing water. The coast was rocky and offered no obvious safe places to beach. As they turned south around the western end of the island the ravens returned and spoke to Raben.

The sun was approaching the horizon so they headed to a site the ravens spotted with a short flat sandy beach and a stream of flowing water. A natural half moon bay was just 800 feet west of the stream. The site was about 2/5 of the way along the southern shore. As they headed into the sheltered bay they noted it was semi-circular with a diameter of 200 feet {GM 32.647245, -16.974978, PD Camara de Lobos Bay}. The shore was crowded with monk seals who were not happy at the intrusion. The small bay was thereafter referred to as Seal Bay. It was too late to try to find somewhere else so they swung east and beached at the stream {between PD Camara De Lobos & Santo Antonio, suburbs of Funchal}.

By the time they had the 3 ships beached and secured the sun was at the horizon. Raben gathered everyone. After thanking God for their safe voyage he pronounced. “On this date, September 10 in the year 330 of our Lord, I claim these islands in the name of Clan Corvo. This island shall henceforth be known as Ramzab.”

“These islands match the descriptions of the islands I was aiming for,” Raben continued. “The weather here should always be fair with no winter. We should be able to get two, possibly three crops per year. The ravens spotted no sign of a native population. We’ll have to take star and sun readings to figure out where we are so we can bring the colonists and supplies.”

"This is the island we want to settle," Raben called out. "Based on what the Ravens have told me the width varies from 7 miles wide in the west to 14 miles then narrows to 9 miles in the east while it's 34 miles long. There is a lot of vegetation in this area but decidedly less than the north and west."

They spent two weeks exploring the island making sure the land was fertile with adequate water verifying there was no sign of recent human activity. They found the surrounding ocean waters to have easily accessible abundant fish. Although it would take work to settle, life here would be fruitful.

Raben was able to meet some ravens that lived on the island. At first the intelligent corvids had been leery of the strange intruders but they recognized that 6 ravens had arrived with them and lived amongst them. Slowly Raben made friends with the local Ravens. He explained the beneficial arrangements of living with and working for humans provided. After explaining raven mail he convinced a dozen native ravens to accompany them when they left.

The small fleet headed directly to Africa. Raben guided them directly to the nearest north African coast at the village of El Bedouza {GM 32.541450, -9.283449}, a 2 day trip. They spent a day at the small village. Raben explained to the 18 ravens they needed to fly the same route they’d just sailed or the distances over water would be too great.

Raben used his empathetic ability to found a trustworthy area family who had lived there for generations. They were amazed he spoke their language. Raben openly explained his family was eccentric and did unusual things. One of those was using ravens for scrying and communication. Even though ravens were not normal inhabitants of the region, they were occasionally seen so the natives knew the birds were exceedingly intelligent. Raben told them that at irregular times he would dispatch ravens into and out of the area and wanted a secure site where the ravens could roost, feed and access water. More importantly, he was willingly to pay the family a yearly stipend to host the roost. The stipend was simply too lucrative for the family not to accept. Raben had prepared a roost which he set up and paid them for a year.

It was another two days sailing north to Gibraltar Raben kept one ship and crew to sail to Zarbam sending the other 2 vessels back around the European coast to Norway with the information needed to lead the colonizing fleet back to Gibraltar. Each of the ships making the exploratory voyage created maps and charts detailing the European coastal trip in both directions so future voyagers could follow the route. Raben also provided them with charts and maps for the voyage from Gibraltar to Zarbam. They reached Bazram at the end of the first week of November. While they had encountered a few storms during the voyage around the Norwegian coast, none were severe and they had time to seek shelter in a nearby Fjord. Their stories of the virtual paradise they had discovered excited everyone.

Raben guided the single ship to Zarbam docking the ship. The captains and crews of the Caravel style ships were naturally curious about the Norse ship. The captains discussed the merits of the Norse clinker construction versus the caravel type construction. Both types start by laying the keel, the main center structure on the bottom of the vessel. Caravel built wooden boats next attached the ribs to the keel then attached planks to the rib frame so the planks butt up against one another. In Clinker {lapstarke} built hulls the planks overlap along their edges being riveted or tied together. The ribs are then made to fit the planks and keel. In Caravel construction a smooth hull is created, that is stronger than a clinker built hull. However more caulking is required between the joints in caravel than in clinker construction. The framing gives a caravel construction a stronger hull, meaning it can carry a more masts and sails as well as decks, and can have a longer, broader and taller hull. Clinker built vessels are lighter because they have less internal framing, meaning they move faster because they displace less water. Clinker vessels are less rigid then caravel constructions; this limits the type of sailing rigs the vessel can take but was lighter, faster, and the vessel flexed as needed. The caravel was slower but easily accepted decks. The draft of a clinker vessel was less than half that of the same size caravel.

Raben based the crew at Zarbam and had them train the Clan Corvo crews on the Norse ship. Raben invited the captains and crews he’d hired months earlier to train the Clan Corvo crews to join the Clan Corvo encouraging them to move their families into the growing settlement. All had seen the cohesiveness and cooperation of the members of the clan and were quite interested in joining. They all eagerly accepted.

The fleet at Zarbam had grown to 40 ships. Cargos were delivered about the eastern Mediterranean giving the new sailors experience. In Barmaz Raben recruited an additional 350 people to serve as crew for the growing Corvus Shipping fleet, sending them to Zarbam.

After receiving raven mail from Bazram, Raben sent Corvus Shipping agents north to the Rhine delta to purchase or have built 20 ships to meet the spring iron shipment in Bonna. The 500 people promised to Bazram were recruited.

In the spring of 331 raven mail messages reported when the 2 fleets left Bazram. The 500 transferees to Bazram headed north as part of the Corvus Shipping caravan, accompanied by a brigade of Raven Raiders, to meet the iron shipment fleet in Bonna. The Bazram iron fleet used their excess crewing to man the 20 additional ships. After familiarizing themselves with the additional vessels, the 23 ship fleet headed north.

Following their charts and maps the Bazram colonial fleet made it to Zarbam. Their vessels were inspected and repaired as needed as the 1100 Barmaz colonists in a Corvus Shipping caravan, accompanied by a company of Raven Raiders, headed south to meet the combined fleet at Zarbam where 50 colonists each from Mazbar and Zamrab were waiting. By the time the fleet arrived at Zarbam, the port had 25 docks ready. The 30 clinker ships from Bazram joined the 30 Caravel style ships to form the colonial fleet carrying the 1500 colonists. The ships were loaded with supplies, chickens, sheep, goats, pigs, horses and cows before loading the people.

Raben joined the 60 vessel fleet as they set sail. They stopped at Gibraltar for a day to top off their water barrels, then sailed out into the Atlantic. A bit after noon ton the fourth day they spotted the small island. By mid afternoon they reached their destination on the south side of the larger island. The shallower draft Norse ships landed offloading people and supplies. Raben led the groups inland to the site they’d selected the year before to start setting up camp. A few adults oversaw the older children as they gathered firewood.

The Norse ships transferred the colonists from the deeper draft Caravel ships to the shore, then returned to begin transferring the animals. The animals were offloaded and staked in grassy areas. Everyone worked together and by the time darkness fell, they were able to gather around the campfire and relax. All were filled with excitement that they had found the place. It was mid June, the voyage from Zarbam had taken 11 days. A common kitchen was set up as were sleeping tents.

The next day large temporary brush walled pastures were built for the pigs, sheep, goats, cattle and horses. A mile upstream a sturdy five foot high dam was built. When the dam was completed they began digging a level aqueduct 2 feet wide by 2 feet across the east side of the valley, heaping the excavated earth on the downhill side of the trench. They were careful to keep the water in the aqueduct even with that in the dam.

An armed team tried to secure Seal Bay for use as an anchorage. The large monk seals covered every available inch of the shore. Using spears they tried nudging the humongous seals out of the way. The bull monk seals averaged 8 feet long and weighed 710 pounds. Needless to say the seals were not happy and voiced their objections. Since they were not familiar with humans they had no fear of the puny annoyances and fought back. After several futile efforts to clear the bay, someone sent for Raben.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 37: 331-334 CE: Growing the Colony

With his ability to communicate with animals Raben quickly understood the issue. Even when he told the seals they had to leave they resisted. They simply had no context to understand what the humans wanted. Even when Raben explained the humans would kill the seals if they didn’t leave, the large behemoths were not afraid of the puny humans. Raben sought out the alpha, a huge scarred bull seal. Despite his best efforts, the bull refused to yield the location and viciously attacked the noisy annoying little human.

Raben wasted no time. Taking a spear, he avoided the bellowing bull seal’s lunge, especially the snap of the sharp nasty teeth, to leap atop the humongous seal giving out with a banshee like ferocious battle cry as he rammed the spear through the vertebra of the monster’s neck severing the spine of the 850 pound beast. The seal squealed once as it spasmed in it’s death throes before expiring. The other seals had heard their vocal exchange, saw the alpha’s attack and the human’s counterattack. The other seals were accustomed to prolonged fierce fights for dominance. This battle lasted 5 seconds before they witnessed the death squeals and throes of their alpha as well as smelled his spilled blood.

Raben mentally shouted at the seals. “Fear humans! Flee! Leave the bay! Never return!”

Once the seals overcame their shock, they fled into the water and out of the bay.

“At least we’ll have fresh meat,” Raben sighed as he looked at the still body of the now dead alpha. Others helped to hoist the carcass by the tail to allow the blood to drain.

They were able to beach and pull 15 of the Norse ships up on the shore. Although crowded, they were able to fit the 30 Caravel deeper draft ships in the bay. The remaining Norse vessels were beached by the stream. Three ships departed to seek fish. Two ravens were dispatched to Zarbam to report their safe arrival. Ten days later they received a reply which meant the raven mail system was operating

Meanwhile the 5 dismantled wagons were reassembled and used to relocate the supplies from the beach to their camp. Areas for pastures were designated. Stones were gathered to build solid walls, first priority was for the hogs. They knew the danger feral pigs presented and it was made policy that if any escaped, they would be immediately hunted down.

Over the next 7 months they worked setting up their colony. They built massive tents along the lines of the Norse longhouse to serve as a common kitchen and meeting area with curtained segments for sleeping quarters until individual homes were built for the families. Barns were built for the animals and the brush walls of the pastures were replaced by stone walls. Vegetable gardens were planted, fields of grain planted, apple and cherry trees planted. Raben with 3 people and raven overwatch rode around the shores of the island carefully mapping the island indicating possible landing sites and available resources. The major valleys were sketched in. They also climbed the mountain ridge behind their settlement and mapped it over to the north side of the island. It topped out about 1700 meters. The first 400 meters of height was reasonably sloped and farmable covering an area about 1 mile deep by 3 miles long. The only native terrestrial animal life they saw was a few small lizards. There were plenty of birds and the waters around the islands were teeming with life, but there were no mammalian predators. Raben spoke to the island’s resident ravens and recruited them into being the eyes for the colony.

They built more dams and dug aqueduct trenches every 100 meters in altitude to the east and west of the stream. For the most part the water was kept in the channels only being tapped when needed. The channels were refurbished with stone bottoms and outer linings backed by the excavated earth. This allowed running water to be brought to the houses and barns. Under Raben’s orders and with his help, they began to construct terraces to keep the rain from flowing off the hillsides giving the water a chance to soak into the earth while providing flatter areas to till. They reinforced each dam to prevent washouts and created a stone box where the water fed the channels to limit excess water getting into the water channels.

Two miles east of the stream that was the colony’s primary source of fresh water, there was a 2000 feet long stretch of shore that was relatively flat for 300 feet inland. The area was set aside to serve as a shipyard. Unneeded ships were raised off the ground on cradles and a slip was built to make it easier to bring the vessels on shore as well as to launch them.

Every day but Sunday 3 ships set out to fish. Each trip they tried a different location. They always came back with good catches. About a quarter of the catch was dried to build up a reserve of food. With the aid of the ravens they explored the smaller island discovering it could support small scale farming but they were not ready to do so hence naming it Later Island. There was also a line of three skinny barren rocky islands about 15 miles southeast of Ramzab {Madeira}. They named them the Desert Islands, the nearest was Petite Desert, 1 mile long and at it’s greatest a quarter mile wide; next was Grande Desert, 7 miles long and at it’s greatest 3/4 mile wide; and Far Desert, 4 miles long and at it’s greatest 1/2 mile wide.

After celebrating the start of the new year, 332, Raben decided the colony was safely established and on the first day of February took several Ramzab {PD Madeira} ravens and 25 of the Caravel style ships with the crew people from Corvus Shipping to return to Zarbam The goodbyes were difficult. Those remaining on the island felt a bit apprehensive without Raben present but knew they had been trained and supplied well.

The return voyage was rougher than the outbound trip. The mid winter weather was rougher than what they’d experienced on the voyage to the island. Despite the rougher weather they arrived in Gibraltr after 4 days. After a day spent replenishing water. The fleet headed north east off the Iberian coast passing north of the Balearic Islands during the 6 day voyage to Zarbam. After mooring the ships Raben inspected the harbor. There were 50 docking spots finished as were most of the jetties enclosing the port. There were several warehouses and barracks as well as the sail and rope making buildings. By raven mail Raben had ordered 2 more brigades of Raven Raiders to the port to assist the brigade already there to assist constructing defensive fortifications, including stockade walls around the entire compound and the high ground to the northeast. This placed a full division of Raven Raiders in the port. While it was still under construction, progress had been made. As per his instructions, shipwrights had been hired and the shipyard was functioning. More recruits to become full time sailors had arrived and were being trained by the retired sailors in the 20 additional ships that had been bought after they had set of to found the colony. A raven mail station was firmly established and functioning in Zarbam. A pair of ravens was dispatched with a pair of ravens from Ramzab back to the island colony to let them know he’d safely arrived in Mazbar. Thus Ramzab and Zarbam became parts of the raven mail system. It would take a raven four days to make the trip between Ramzab and Mazbar/Zarbam via the El Bedouza, Africa way-stop.

Raben had no troubles enlisting another 50 recruits for the colony from his kin in Mazbar, many with skills in building construction and leather working. With a list of supplies they needed he left orders to gather the needed goods. Corvus Shipping would pick up what they made or gathered to store in the warehouses at Zarbam. He let it be known that Corvus Shipping was still looking to purchase additional ships with 70 ready to sail to Ramzab at the end of July.

Zarbam was utilizing a local company as a source of cement on the port construction. A new contract was made to provide bulk cement to be taken to Ramzab which had no source of the building material. Taking a horse, he rode north to Barmaz. The defensive walls along the Rhone and Lac Leman were progressing. Additional construction was underway at each overland entry into Clan Corvo lands. An additional 1550 colonists from Barmaz were organized for Ramzab as well as another 500 for Bazram. The excess people from Mazbar and Zamrab, 50 and 250 {The excess population that had been allowed to accumulate.} respectively, were heading for the colony as were the 50 from Bazram for a total of 1900 colonists.

By raven mail Raben told Bjorn the colony on Ramzab was doing well. This year Raben wanted 5 ships and 50 people from Bazram to move to Ramzab. He also requested a ton of bog iron in the supplies they were providing for the colony.

Once the arrangements were settled, Raben accompanied the 500 people heading north to Bonna with the Corvus Shipping caravan, accompanied by a battalion of Raven Raiders. The 23 ships that had sailed north last year returned with the iron delivery, then sailed back north to Bazram with the 500 new settlers.

Upon arrival, Raben was pleased to see that Bazram was a work in progress. The big hill had been cut into three levels with two 20 feet high steps with wooden palisades at the edges. A ditch forty feet wide had been dug from shore to shore at the base of the first step creating a moat. Several docks had been built and a palisade erected around the growing town. Excavated rock had been dumped into the fjord to create a protected harbor and the excavated earth was used to enlarge the town into the bay. A wooden bridge crossed the moat at the northern end to provide land access.

“I want to continue supporting the colony at Ramzab,” Bjorn explained. “Thanks to the 500 people a year you’re sending Bazram is really growing. I’d like to eventually bring the entire Trondhiem Fjord under our control. Combining the shipwrights in one place has been beneficial. We’re already putting out a ship a month so there should be no need to purchase more ships for us. We can send 23 of our ships a year to pick up the trade goods and people at Bonna. We should be able to supply 5 ships and 50 people to Ramzab each year as well as a ton of bog iron.”

“I’m glad things are going so well,” Raben acknowledged. “This year Barmaz has a population of 1,078,000+ so I need to continue to spread the population out. I doubt you can handle more than 500 a year so we’ll hold at that for now. I’m working to build up a large fleet at Zarbam to transport colonists. Last year we took 1500 colonists on 60 ships. This voyage will be a large one with 75 ships and 1900 colonists. I’ll see to it that detailed updates and communications from the Ramzab reach Olvishaugen with the regular iron trading ships. Letters can be sent to Ramzab on the 5 colony ships and return mail will come on the iron ships.”

The 5 ships sailed out of Bazram in mid June, reaching Zarbam the third week of July. After a quick refitting the 75 vessel fleet with 1900 colonists set sail the first of August traveling to Gibraltar. After a day replenishing water and food they set out for Ramzab reaching it 4 days later, an 11 day voyage. The ships unloaded the people and livestock, then the supplies including the much needed cement. As the Caravel ships unloaded, they set off to return to Zarbam in convoys of 10 ships.

With the charts and maps which had the star and sun readings, Raben shared his primitive lodestone compass with the ship captains. With those advantages, except for encountering a storm, there was little risk of missing their intended destinations. Needless to say the captains were stunned that such a tool as a compass existed. As Norse, they were familiar with lodestones but had never imagined it's magical qualities always pointed north. They understood Raben's demand the compass be kept secret and if discovery was imminent, to toss it overboard. One rule Raben established was that all Corvus Shipping vessels were, if at all possible, to avoid storms. All contracts would be written with the possibility of storm delayed delivery dates. The crew was more important that a delivery.

The initial colonists were delighted with the new arrivals. Several babies had been born while Raben had been away and others were on the way. Seal Bay was too small to hold the ships so some were pulled ashore and secured upside down on frames. Any ships deemed not worth repair were beached with the intent to dismantle them and reuse the lumber.

Maps and charts were once more compared and updated. Nearly half of the island had been extensively explored and documented. There was no doubt the mountainous north and west sides of the island received plenty of rain while the flatter southern and eastern side was significantly dryer. Unfortunately there were no suitable long term sites to serve as landing sites or suitable land for port villages on the wetter sides of the island. The terraces Raben had started with the original colonists proved their worth. Part of preparing new land for agriculture now involved terracing the hillsides to capture as much of the precious rain water as possible.

The north side of the island was considerably wetter than the south side. The prevailing winds were from the northwest. Thus the rains also came from that direction. Being a weathered volcanic island that had last erupted about 4700 years ago, it had weathered resulting in a central spine about rising between 1000 to 1862 meters. The spine stopped low rain clouds causing them to drop a lot more rain on the north slopes. Plans were made to dig small tunnels and more small aqueducts from the wetter north side to the dryer south side to supply much needed water.

The colony now had a better selection of experienced members including potters, weavers, healers, carpenters, masons and a black smith. While the initial colonists had done okay, the first year taught them they needed more experienced adults in those areas which they had requested by raven mail. Most of the unmarried colonists found a mate and were starting their own families. It was decided the colony would expand from it’s beginning location by expanding east avoiding long distance settlements. Thus the new colonists spread east constructing homes and barns as well as terracing the hills and mountain sides for crops. The new animals were put in pastures much further up the slopes in steeper unterraced but fenced areas for breeding. Grape vines, flax, hemp, olives, and figs had been amongst the plants brought for cultivation. The meat needs of the colony were still being met from the sea until the domesticated animals bred to sustainable levels. Now with a population of 3400+ the fishing fleet was increased to 6 vessels. Roads were being built with the intent to circle the island as well as a few over the central mountain spine to provide easy access to all parts of the Ramzab. The main roads withing the community would be stone paved. Most ravines near the inhabited area had sturdy mini dams built to retain water in order to feed irrigation aqueducts. That practice would continue as the inhabited area expanded.

Seal bay was crowded with ships. The seals had long abandoned the site due to the presence of the humans. The rocky point of land that formed Seal Bay proved inadequate for providing a safe harbor for all the vessels. The 5 caravel ships that had remained from the initial colonization really were not needed. They had tried using them to fish but found they required more work than the more maneuverable clinker ships. Rather than have them taking up space it was decided to send them back Zarbam by attaching them 1 at a time to the 10 ship return fleets. The crew needed to do so came from the ships returning to Zarbam, one from each until they had adequate crewing.

The southern coast where they’d landed and established the colony ran northwest to southeast. A mile east of Seal Bay the shore angled around a point to run in a southwest to northeast direction for a mile. In that stretch of coast were several small mini bays that could be used for the fleet. Roads would need to be cut through the steep 30 to 60 feet high hillsides to provide easy access to the shore line but the excavated rocks would be dumped into the water to create breakwaters to further prepare and enlarge safe harbors.

Raben regularly dispatched raven mail detailing future needs of the colony from people to supplies and crops. He also insisted upon mandatory militia training just as he did at the other Clan Corvo locations. Since all had been in the militias, doing so in Ramzab was not a hardship. Ballista and catapults were built to enable adequate defense. The main task of the militia was to develop and crew observation posts to keep watch for any approaching intruders. Raben tasked the ravens with assisting in the oceanic observation in return for easy food. The human watchers were trained to understand the ravens. If the Ravens spotted something, they would fly to the nearest observation post to warn the crew and fly off in the direction of the intruder. Whether the intruders were intentional or accidental, the colony needed to know and take action. If possible intruders would be captured and integrated into the colony. If they could not integrate they faced enslavement or death. None who came to Ramzab uninvited would ever leave. The colonists understood the need to be prepared to defend themselves.

While working on the colony Raben knew that the Empire was still shifting. For nearly two hundred years the Sarmation tribes had been raiding and fighting the Roman Empire along the western coast of the Black Sea and the lower Danube. With the arrival of the Goths, they had been pummeled and pushed westward. The Romans refused to let them cross the Danube and they had slowly been pushed along the northern bank of the mighty river.

In hopes of reconquering Dacia, in the late winter of 332, Constantine campaigned with the Sarmatians against the Goths. The weather and lack of food cost the Goths dearly. Nearly one hundred thousand died before they submitted to Rome. As a reward for their assistance Constantine agreed to allow the Sarmatians to settle on north banks of the middle Danube in the area of the former province of Dacia to form a buffer against Goths' attacks. To ensure their cooperation the Empire sold them weapons and food. At the same time the Goths were finding themselves coming under pressure from the east as the Huns pressed westward from the vast steppes of Asia. With the Sarmations blocking movement into the middle Danube, many Goths crossed the borders to enlist in the Roman armies. At the same time things were also shifting along the Rhine. The Franks were growing stronger along the lower Rhine. As they grew they expanded north slowly forcing the Alemanni southeast along the Danube until they bumped against the Sarmations from that direction. Many dispossessed Germans, Alemanni and Goth alike, contributed to the almost complete Germanization of the Roman Army.

At the beginning of February of 333 as the rainy winter season wound down Raben took the last 10 caravel ships to sail to Zamrab. They stopped at El Bedousa to drop off feed for the ravens and coins to the family maintaining the raven mail stopover. The winds were favorable and the weather fair so 3 weeks later the ten vessel fleet sailed through the harbor at Alexandria, then up the canal of the channelized branch of the Nile. The crews were surprised by the fortified size of Zamrab and the dichotomy of the side by side lush irrigated fields and the barren dry desert hills in the distance.

During the Palmyrene occupation of Egypt and the subjugation of and partial destruction of Alexandria, some wealthy citizens had fled the city to take refuge in Zamrab. They discovered the tranquility of the desert. Zamrab was close enough to Alexandria to take advantage of the cultural aspects the city had to offer. Several of the wealthy bought the desert adjacent to Zambrab to build their own retreats. They tapped into the Zamrab canals and moats to turn their desert plot into a private green oasis. The result was that Zamrab was now surrounded by dozens of adjacent Estate Oases.

The Zamrab militia sounded an alert when they saw the ten ships approaching. Raben quickly identified himself to the Zamrabian guards and had the fleet pull into the channels inside the walls. Raven mail had notified Zamrab of the continual need for colonists and Egyptian flora. They spent a week gathering warmer climate plants and seeds that would do well in the year round warmth of Ramzab. Loading enough supplies for the fifty Zamrabian colonists and their children to voyage to Zarbam, they set off. Several adults with their families were familiar with operating the irrigation system at Zamrab and could better organize the same at Ramzab. They adults were trained in the basics of sailing while crossing the Mediterranean Sea, arriving at Zarbam in mid May.

As soon as they landed Raben headed to Bazram to take care of business. There had been no issues with the 500 people heading north to Bazram on the return trip from the spring bog iron delivery leaving the northern settlement with a population of 5600+. The 1750 hundred adult colonists, including masons, were ready with their belongings so in mid June Raben accompanied them to Zarbam. This left the population in Barmaz at 1,098,000+ people.

The 5 ships from Bazram arrived at Zarbam. The vessels were inspected and repaired as needed. Cement and other supplies and farm animals were loaded before the people. On July 1 they set out. Although encountering some rain they didn’t encounter any storms and no large waves, arriving safely at Ramzab in mid-July. With the births amongst the existing colonists the colony now had a population of 5400+ people.

The cement was greatly appreciated. The Ramzabians understood they had to use it sparingly. The cement was transferred to a large barn. The new plants were placed in the appropriate fields. The colony was flourishing. Raben established a Council of Elders to insure uniformity.

Seafaring people from Bazram, the captains and crews of the ships, operated the Ramzab fleet of 37 clinker vessels. Three vessels from the initial voyage had been deemed unseaworthy and dismantled. Twenty ships had been drawn from the water, pulled a hundred feet up the beach and turned upside down for long term storage. Raben had the 2 fastest ships prepared for sea warfare. Under sail they could reach 15 knots, faster than any contemporary vessel. With a crew of twenty oarsmen, the vessels could be rowed for two hours at a speed of 2-3 knots. An intense high speed dash of 4 knots could be maintained for twenty minutes. The crew would consist of experienced archers and well practiced swordsmen. These vessels would chase down any intruding vessels. A ballista capable of shooting a bolt 6 feet long was installed on each vessel. In addition to normal bolts and arrows, the also had bolts and arrows that could be set aflame before being fired. With wooden construction and canvas sails, ships of that time were extremely vulnerable to fire. The 15 remaining vessels were used for fishing and local exploration. They all understood Raben’s insistence that no one outside of Clan Corvo could discover the location of the island and that all vessels traveling to and from the colony had to be crewed by members of the Clan Corvo.

As before, Raben sent the 70 ship fleet home in groups of 10 with a group leaving every 5 days. The difference was that the ships would load additional supplies at Zamrab and return. It was a 7 week turn around so each group could make 1 resupply before needing to be refitted. In mid-August, Raben left for Zambar with the last 10 vessels of the colonial fleet.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 38: 334-343 CE: The Zoo

They plans were adjusted so the 80 ships could sail in 10 ship fleets of colonists and supplies to leave at 1 week intervals. That would ease loading and unloading jams at both ends of the voyage. Each 10 ship fleet could do 2 voyages a year. Leaving Zarbam in mid-April the first 10 ship fleet would load and unload in 6 days conducting a 7 week resupply voyage. One of the July voyages would include the 5 yearly Bazram ships. The spring fleets would take 2100 colonists, 50 each from Mazbar and Zamrab with the rest from Barmaz. The July fleet would take 2050 colonists, 50 from Bazram and the rest from Barmaz.

Raben consolidated all marine aspects of Corvus Shipping in Zarbam. The harbor, running northeast from Berre-lEtang northeast was completed with 100 docking slips and 200 anchorages. A second harbor of equal size began at the village of Les Branches running southeast for 2 miles. The new warehouse area would be shared with the original warehouses. The harbor master was kept busy with the coming and going vessels. A logistics manager would handle the local arrangements to obtain the goods Ramzab needed. Letters between colonists and family left behind could be exchanged. The sailing time back and forth between Ramzab {Madeira} and Zamrab averaged 7 weeks. The palisade walls were in place. Living quarters were built as were warehouses and commercial. The permanent population of the busy port reached the target of 4000 people not including the Raven Raiders.

With the colony on Ramzab thriving, Raben now had time to return to his business enterprises. The Corvus Scriptoriums were booming. Alexandria was a seething roiling mess of competing Christian ideas and beliefs that often came to blows. At the same time in the deserts foothills west of Alexandria the Christian ascetics began forming Monasteries. These were men awaiting the return of Christ who felt Roman society was too debauched, the constant temptations too great to resist. In the solitude and deprivation of the desert they could, with undistracted praying, gain a purer soul and discover the deeper meanings of a good and clean life. The legalization of Christianity created a weird sort of nostalgia for the tradition of martyrdom where one would be purified by sacrificing your life for your faith. Without persecution one could not become a martyr in the traditional sense. An alternative was a withdrawal from corrupt living in towns and cities. The ascetics sold all material possessions and donated it to the poor. Many felt poisoned by the Church finding ways to work with the Roman state, seeing it as a compromise between ‘the things of God and the things of Caesar.’ The monastic communities were essentially an alternate Christian society since the hermits doubted that religion and politics could ever produce a truly Christian society. To them the only true Christian society was spiritual.

Raben did his best to live his Christian faith. He lived in and was part of the world and believed withdrawing was counterproductive. Since Jesus lived in the world and was part of the world, by avoiding life and temptation they were denying Christ. He believed one could live a good life and follow Christ’s teaching in the world. However, one also had to protect the weak and provide for the poor. Doing so for everyone was impossible. Even Jesus had said the poor would always be with you. The best you could do was to provide hope and security for as many as possible. The ascetics did nothing to help those in need, being too busy protecting their personal sanctity.

In 334, disgruntled Sarmatian commoners overthrew their leaders. Constantine led a campaign against the tribe winning a victory and extended his control over the region. Constantine resettled some Sarmatian exiles as farmers in Illyrian and Roman districts, and conscripted the rest into the army. In Rome, things were still changing. With Constantine moving the seat of government to Constantinople the bureaucracy moved too. The senate had lost all power outside the city and environs. Many senators relocated east to join the emperor. This created a power vacuum that was quickly snatched up and assumed by the Church and the Bishop of Rome. The power plays and games that had roiled the senate moved over to the ecclesiastical realms. On December 31, 335 the Bishop of Rome, Sylvester, died. By January 18, 336 Mark was elected Bishop of Rome. None of the bishops outside of the vicinity of Rome made the hasty convocation. Politics was most definitely at play.

For Raben that only reinforced his commitment to seeing that the Clan Corvo was safe. In Barmaz he did a lot of research in the archives to find ways of beefing security and self defense. By combining many inferences he came up with several ideas that required experimentation. Those at the Clan Corvo University did the experimentation. Turpentine was derived from the sap of pine trees. Sulfur was easily procured from volcanoes. Mixing powdered sulfur with turpentine produced a highly flammable liquid that was difficult to extinguish and produced choking toxic fumes.

Placing the solution in small ceramic balls sealed with oil soaked rags made ideal flaming bombs. The tail of the rag was ignited then the ball thrown. Upon striking an object, the ball would break and the flaming rag ignite the solution. These could be made in different sized balls, from four inch hand thrown bombs to twenty inch catapult launched bombs. In addition, special hollowed ballista bolts could be filled with the mixture and flaming rags attached, then shot at great distances with the shaft shattering upon impact. Catapults and ballistas were added to all Clan Corvo armories as well as turpentine/sulfur bombs. The ingredients and materials to make the bombs and bolts were kept separate but close so in times of need they could be assembled. The militia practiced with live bombs. Several people were assigned to conduct further research on improving the devices.

Raben had been searching for a place to set up an office of Corvus Scriptorium near Constantinople. His requirements were proximity with isolation, with easy ship access. In mid 335 he found Sivri Ada, a rectangular island 500 feet wide by 1000 feet long and 35 meters high located 9 miles south of Constantinople in the Sea of Marmara. The uninhabited island had no fresh water and limited vegetation. Channels could be cut around the high center mount of the rocky to funnel rain into a cistern. The eastern side had a small protected natural harbor. Corvus Scriptorium dispatched over 50 scribes and managers to establish the eastern office in a rented building until the island could be prepared. Several people from Corvus Construction headed east to oversee local contractors in building the cistern, apartments, warehouses and the scriptorium on the island. This location of Corvus Scriptorium would be known as Marzab. The construction took a year. By the time the island was occupied, the new local office of Corvus Scriptorium had established itself as fulfilling the legacy and respect due the world’s premiere scriptorium.

By 336 it became evident Ramzab {PD Maderia} needed a continuing steady supply of cement. They were using a tremendous amount in the Clan Corvo homeland to build roads, bridges, dams, irrigation projects, and defensive walls. Ramzab needed a steady supply of cement so the colony could proceed with the construction of dams and terrace walls. Currently they were purchasing the cement for all their needs. The cement was packaged and transported in heavy wooden barrels containing 4 cubic feet of cement powder with each sealed cask weighing 375 ponds. Raben decided it was time the Clan Corvo began producing their own cement. There was certainly enough limestone in the Clan Corvo territory. Limestone quarries were needed as well as a heat source for burning the limestone, a requisite step in processing the limestone into the lime powder that was cement. Using wood for the fires would certainly deplete the tree reserves.

There were no coal deposits in the original province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. As soon as Raben secured the Allobroge addition, he dispatched student engineers to various Roman mines to learn all they could about minerals and discovering mineral deposits. Then he sent them out into the Allobroge territory looking for evidence of exploitable mineral deposits. They found coal, silver/lead, iron and even traces of gold flecked quartz. Raben checked their discoveries and set up another new business, Corvus Minerals to begin exploiting the discoveries.

Coal mines and limestone quarries were the priority. Iron mines were secondary priorities. The silver/lead and gold mines were tertiary. All three were promptly started but the resources devoted were done by their set priority.

The yearly delivery of colonists and supplies kept the fleet busy all spring and summer to keep the colony well supplied. With the steady influx of people they became more and more self sufficient and were quite grateful to the rest of the Clan Corvo for funding their expenses. The colony’s only export was the dried fish they loaded onto the supply ship fleets. The profit was never enough to pay for their needs but it was the only export they had. Someday they hoped to have grain and other foodstuffs to sell.

Raben was ready to begin another massive defense project with the intent to protect the expanded province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. The defense walls along the Rhone and Lac Leman were progressing. All entre points into the province had also been shut off by forts. The borders had been surveyed and mapped and plans were moving forward to wall the entire province with defensive walls and long steep glacis like those around the Barmaz Bailiwick. Better than 95% of the population was Clan Corvo. The few people who were not members of the clan were heading towards marrying into the tight knit clan.

As Raben made his precautionary plans, the stability of Constantine’s rule was about to end. Just after Easter, Constantine fell seriously ill. He left Constantinople for the hot baths near the city of Helenopolis {PD Altinova}. Realizing he was dying he prayed in a church his mother built. Seeking purification, he became a catechumen, and attempted to return to Constantinople, making it only about 15 miles. Unable to continue he summoned the bishops. The emperor had hoped to be baptized in the Jordan River but knew that would never happen so he requested immediate baptism, promising to live a more Christian life should he live through his illness. Constantine died soon after on the last day of the fifty-day festival of Pentecost, 22 May 337, quite literally being baptized on his deathbed.

Although Constantine legalized and supported Christianity, he delayed being baptized until his end. Many thought he did so to avoid violating the tenants of the faith. Since baptism washed away one’s sins, by holding off as long as possible he was hedging his bets.

Constantine’s three sons, Constantius II, Constantine II and Constans, succeeded him. Constantius II buried his father then set about killing the male relatives of his grandfather except his brothers and three cousins. The trouble quickly began. Constantine had been keeping the various Christian factions peaceful. With his steadying hand gone, so was the peace.

Raben stayed out of the way in Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. The Clan Corvo politically and religiously controlled and effectively populated the province. Since the Clan Corvo took over the provincial governorship twenty five years before, the changes in governance had been many. Those who had fled with the previous governor when Constantine passed through had not been allowed to return. Qualified people from the Clan Corvo filled all vacant positions. Raben had made it clear all job holders, including those from the Clan Crovo, would maintain their positions by merit only. The other change was one virtually unheard of in ancient (and sadly in much of modern) times, the elimination of the taking and giving bribes. The punishment for either was enslavement and confiscation of all possessions. Signs were posted at all government offices and military checkpoints proclaiming the edict. Unfortunately many business men ignored the notices and suffered an ignominious fate. Many businesses didn’t like that nor the fairly applied taxes and levies. Unable to break through the Clan hierarchy, many tried to abandoned the trade routes that passed through the province. However, the main Roman road, Via Domisia, from Italy to Gaul and Hispania passed through the Allobroge area. The Col de Montgenèvre {GM 44.940608, 6.754154} from Turin had to be used as there were no other overland routes that were open year round. Only smaller honest entrepreneurs used the other roads, finding the way well maintained and safe. One of the provincial militia’s primary duties was seek out, pursue and eliminate brigands and thieves.

Construction of defensive walls and glacis around the new boundaries of the expanded Clan Corvo was begun in earnest home. A 75° glacis was cut/excavated/built in front of each wall. Along streams/rivers the glacis was 30 feet high. All other glacis were made with a minimum of 30 feet but as close to 300 feet high as the terrain permitted. Covered arcades along the top of the walls under the battlements allowed easy year round movement without need to worry about the weather.

The boundary was adjusted to follow ridge lines and/or watershed divides and glaciers. Where streams passed through the walls the stream beds were widened and deepened. Cut stone blocks were laid to a depth of 6 feet were placed to form the streambed extending 20 feet beyond the 30 feet high glacis to guide the discharge to prevent undermining the stonework. The 75° built stone glacis was perforated by channels 8 inches wide by 2 feet high spaced 6 feet apart. Up to 2 additional channel layers could be added to accommodate the spring snow melt flow, with each level offset 2 feet to keep the glacis and wall as strong as possible. The stone construction of the glacis extended back forming the solid underpinning of the defense wall which was built atop it.

{I can be quite anal about details. Rather than bog down the story I’ve attached detailed description of the borders and defenses in the comments of this chapter.}

Once Raben had the massive defensive project started, he moved on to other projects and maintaining his enterprises. After making a trip to Mazbar, Marzab and Zamrab, he arrived back in Zarbam in time to return to Ramzab {PD Madeira} on the spring resupply return voyage. The colony was doing well with over 18,000 people with 4150 new colonists arriving each year. The farms were doing well, fruit trees flourishing, the herds and flocks large enough to provide dairy and meat.

The only issue facing the colony was the lack of salt. So far they had been doing small scale evaporation of seawater but Ramzab was too hilly for suitable evaporation ponds. Raben knew Later Island {PD Island of Porto Santo} was fairly flat in the southwest corner. To insure a steady supply of salt Raben procured a dozen Archimedes screws and the mechanical gears and bearings for the associated windmills for use on the salt ponds. Wind mills would also be effective for milling their grain.

While they had initially arrived they sailed around the island and no one had landed. Raben sent several Ravens to scout the island, thanking the birds when they reported their findings. Raben then spoke with the fishing crews. They verified there were large flat areas near the ocean on the southeast side of Later Island. As they organized an exploratory trip Raben dispatched a dozen ravens to do a closer fly over examination of the island.

Raben led an evaluation expedition to Later Island. There was a small cove on the southern tip where they beached the ships. The shore party found the area suitable to construct evaporation ponds. They would need to dig and waterproof the settling and evaporation ponds, then flood them in late May, allowing the water to evaporate over the dry summer so they could harvest the salt in late August. Depending on the rain and evaporation they could probably get two to three batches during the three month dry season. Salt-making operations were to be conducted in a series of three ponds. The ponds were separated from each other by 3 feet high by 8 feet wide well constructed dikes. The tops of the dikes would serve as roadways over which wagons and horses could travel. A slough would need to be dug a few feet deeper than low tide to allow the ocean water to flow inland. At the end of the channel the Archimedes screws propelled by wind mills would raise raw seawater into the highest ponds were it would sit for five days allowing suspended solids to settle out. That water would then be drained into a lower pond to allow evaporation to concentrate it into brine. When the solution became concentrated to the point the salt was ready to start settling out, the brine would then be drained into a lower crystalizing pond where the water would be evaporated off. They would start off with one set of ponds adding more as the need arose.

Raben realized they’d need to have a crew living on the island during the dry season to tend the ponds. To do so they also had to construct dams and cisterns on the arroyos to catch and hold fresh water. Looking at the dry southern relatively flat shore of the island they realized they could also set up a larger designated area for drying and storing fish for export. Another use of the dry island would be for olive cultivation. The dryer island seemed like the perfect environment for large drought resistant olive orchards. A small village would be needed which meant limited food and grain crops and probably sheep. Later island was coming into the present. Raben estimated Later Island could support a population of 5500 people compared to 289,500 for Ramzab.

One thing Raben wanted started was a shipyard. The people from Bazram had shipbuilding experience so the area designated for a shipyard was prepared to expand from storage, maintenance and repair to actual construction.

Growing flax in the colony was doing well. A larger press for extracting linseed oil from the seeds was needed. Also needed were larger looms to process the flax straw into linen cloth. Another flourishing import was hemp. This would be the basis of a soon to be profitable rope making industry. Quality wine was being made from the vineyards planted at higher altitudes. Raben left with the summer resupply voyage with a never ending ‘to do' list.

Upon Raben’s return to Zarbam he placed orders for goods and supplies as well as mechanisms for the additional windmills to ship out on the summer supply voyage. Raben then accompanied Corvus Shipping caravan to Barmaz where he discovered a growing dispute within the Church.

The Bishop of Rome and the vast majority of the bishops and priests under his jurisdiction held the theological view of Catholic Christianity believing in the Nicene Creed description that Jesus is God the Son being a single essence with God the Father along with God the Spirit. The Trinity is one of the cornerstones of Catholic Christianity. Many in the east, centered in Constantinople, believed in Arianism, a monotheistic Christological doctrine which asserts the belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God who was begotten by God the Father at a point in time, is distinct from the Father and is therefore subordinate to the Father based on the belief that the Son of God did not always exist. There was an often acrimonious dispute between the two interpretations (Arianism and Catholicism) based upon the theological orthodoxy in power. Both attempted to solve their theological dilemma by condemning the other as blasphemy. So there were two ‘orthodox’ competing interpretations of Christianity which initiated conflict in order to attract believers and define the supreme orthodoxy. Catholicism was formally affirmed by the Ecumenical First Council of Nicaea of 325 which deemed Arianism to be a heresy. The great majority of Christians had no clear views about the nature of the Trinity and they did not understand what the two sides were arguing about. At the regional First Synod of Tyre in 335, Arianism was exonerated. Constantine had been baptized by an Arian bishop. His son Constantius II was Arian while sons Constantine II and Constans were Catholic.

The drama grew as Constantine II grew jealous that younger brother Constans had more territory. While Constans was involved in fighting across the Danube in Dacia, Constantine II attacked. Constans sent troops who killed Constantine II in an ambush on December 24, 340. The Franks took advantage of the imperial chaos to invade Gaul which Constans drove back during 341 and 342. While the oldest and youngest brothers were engaged, Constantius II was busy fighting off the once again invading Persians.

In December 342 Fiach landed in Alexandria heading for Zamrab. The docks were in chaos due to a dealer in exotic animals trying to find a ship sailing to Constantinople where he hoped to sell his stock. Unfortunately he couldn’t find anyone to take the entire shipment in one load and didn’t trust anyone he was not with to see the animals safely through the voyage. The city wanted the animals gone, either shipped out or simply moved to the countryside. The dealer was furious because of the cost of feeding the animals, especially the ravenous tigers. It was getting bad as the big cats were being underfed and anyone getting close to their cages was putting their lives in danger, which was the main reason no merchants wanted to risk their ships. Curious, Fiach headed to the impatient frustrated exotic animal dealer. What she found disgusted her. None of the animals were being treated well or fed properly. Most were on the verge of starvation sickness.

Fiach could see the dealer was in over his head so offered to buy the entire collection. The dealer dismissively demanded 2000 gold pieces.

“You’re never going to get that much,” Fiach bluntly told him. “I’ll give you 1000 silver.”

“What?” the frazzled man screamed. “That’s insulting! I have more than that invested!”

“That may be but the animals will soon be getting sick and die, then you’ll have nothing,” Fiach declared. “My offer will at least get you some return and relieve your headaches.”

“That’s robbery,” the irate man screamed.

At that point the harbor master and his security forces arrived. “Enough,” the beleaguered bureaucrat scolded. “I gave you two days to get these animals off the docks. It’s been three days. Either move them or we’ll be forced to kill them.”

The dealer’s mouth flopped open and snapped shut several times as he struggled to speak. His face turned bright red. Suddenly he incoherently screamed, pulled a knife and attacked the harbor master.

The harbor security was caught unprepared and the crazed man’s knife was raised ready to plunge into the harbor master’s chest. The harbor master froze in fear as he watched with horror as the knife was about to plunge into him. Suddenly the crazed dealer staggered and gasped dropping the knife. Slowly he pivoted in time to see a knife flying toward him sinking into his heart. With a final gasp he fell forward, dead before he hit the ground.

Everyone watched in awe as Fiach calmly stepped forward and pulled her knife from the dead man’s chest wiping it clean on the dead man’s robes before rolling him over to retrieve the first knife she’d thrown from between the man’s shoulder blades which she also wiped clean.

“Dumb ass,” Fiach said as she shook her head. “You should have taken my offer.”

Time on My Hands

Chapter 39: 343 CE: We Will, We Will Aurochs You!

Since the head of harbor security had witnessed the deceased man’s attack on the harbor master he ruled Fiach’s actions justifiable homicide, thus there would be no criminal charges.

“Thanks for saving my life,” the harbor master shivered at his close brush with death. “Did you really try to buy this zoo?”

“Yes,” Fiach said. “But not at his price. I’ll pay for his funeral if I can have the animals.”

“That’s a fair price,” the harbor master eagerly accepted the offer.

“Can you round up teamsters and wagons,” Fiach asked. “I’ll pay them to load the cages and take them out to Zamrab. I have a touch with animals so I’ll keep them calm while they load and unload.”

Within an hour teamsters were loading the cages onto their wagons. True to her word, Fiach kept the animals calm escorting them to Zamrab. She sent a messenger ahead with orders to prepare space for the animals and to slaughter several sheep for the near starving tigers.

Most of the Zamrabians had never seen exotic animals. The peacocks were dazzling. The gazelles magnificent, the chimpanzees funny, the tigers terrifying, and the two elephants were ginormous. Fiach ‘spoke’ to the animals promising them better food and a better habitat asking them to be patient. The lack of food was easy to remedy, the rest would take time.

After much thought and debate, Fiach decided to take them to Barmaz. Setting up a 3 ship convoy of Corvus Shipping vessels took several weeks as adequate food supplies had to be loaded on the ships. Raven mail notified Barmaz what was needed for when they arrived.

When all was ready the three ship convoy set out. Fiach rode with the tigers, with sheep for food. The elephants and hay filled a second ship, the third held the rest of the animals and their food. The first leg was the longest. It took ten days for the convoy to sail from Alexandria to Crete, landing at the southern port of Tympaki to allow the elephants a day of walking about on the shore before reloading and sailing west around Crete then northwest to the Peloponnesian peninsula landing three days later at the village of Kalamata. They spent two days letting the locals view the exotic animals as they replenished their supplies.

Then it was an eighteen day voyage to the straits of Messina, stopping at Reggio Calabria for a three day shore break. Then north three days to Ostia for reprovisioning then northwest to Zarbam where they offloaded all the animals. Corvus Shipping provided the wagons and teamsters to haul the caged animals while the elephants walked.

The exotic menagerie attracted attention as they traveled. The animals felt a close affinity to Fiach who spoke to them daily assuring them they would soon arrive at their new home. Additional raven mail notified Barmaz of the needed accommodations for the various animals. That notification meant nearly a quarter of the population of greater Barmaz turned out along the route to greet their passing and arrival at their destination. Along the stream Gryonne, 2800 feet northeast of the Rhone {GM 46.266530, 6.983581} an enclosure was being constructed. The location had been selected because it received early morning and late afternoon sunlight year round. One of the few places in the mountainous region that was positioned to have full day exposure. A huge square with sturdy stone walls 20 feet high and 5 feet thick was constructed. Each side was 1 mile long. Open spaces were constructed with shelters and open areas. The elephants were released in one super strong enclosure and the tigers in another. Non dangerous exotic herbivores were released in a large pasture like enclosure. An undershoot waterwheel was built on the Gyrone to turn an Archimedes screw raising water into terra cotta pipes to conduct fresh water to each enclosure.

Raben worked with handlers to care for the elephants, others to care for the tigers, and others to work with the chimps. He assisted the animals and their human handlers in understanding each other. The elephants were soon moving about the province doing heavy lifting and pulling jobs. The chimps were trained to climb the mountains taking ropes up cliffs and rocks inaccessible by humans so humans could follow. The wolf pack was also released inside the compound.

Understanding this was their new home, the elephants and tigers accepted their new lives. Raben promised the animals that as long as they cooperated they would be well cared for and fed. The handlers understood it was their job to keep the animals satisfied. Stimulated by the zoo, Raben decided in addition to saving his family he should make an effort to save endangered wildlife like the aurochs and tarpans

A company of Raven Raiders accompanied Raben as they headed north into Germany. Mounted on their large black Arabian horses as they traveled through Roman territory they drew stares. People were accustomed to seeing mounted troops but quite uncertain about the accompanying wolves, crows and eagle and the Raven Banner and matching shields. The Roman troops were clearly awed by the spectacle. During the thirty years since the Battle of the Milvian Bridge the Raven Raiders had become legendary. The mere mention of the Raven Raiders drew shivers of fear from those who might have to face them in battle. Many thought they were exaggerated legend, no military unit could have wolves, ravens and an eagle as integral parts of the troop. Yet here they were seeing the mounted troop with wolves being overflown by swarms of ravens. Of course, none of the current Raven Raiders had been part of the original famous unit. In truth, most had not even been born. Raben was the only one who had been there.

They crossed the Rhine at Hemishofen {GM 47.673175, 8.834163} then curved to the north of Lake Constance heading east to Vindobona {PD Vienna}. From there they followed the south bank of the Danube to Aquincum {PD Bupapest} where they crossed the river leaving Roman controlled areas. moving into Germanic tribal controlled areas, specifically the Bastarnae, an ancient Germanic/Celtic tribe who were on the verge of collapsing. They had been repeatedly swept up in the back and forth raiding and fighting along the Roman Danube frontier. Located just north of Dacia they had avoided the worse deprivations but had nevertheless been a part of it. Now they were being pressured by the Goths and realized they could not hope to stop them. After the centuries long interactions they were too small and militarily weak to be able to form alliances. They faced annihilation as their tribe broke down. Some of them were already allowing themselves to be subsumed into the larger and more powerful Goths.

As soon as the Raven Raiders were outside Roman territory, they were on alert. Raben had the troops rotate positions in the column, swapping off lead at each rest stop. The troops proceeded double file, lead by the troop commander with the troop wolf walking beside the horse. The ravens of the lead troop and tail troop flew overwatch while the ravens of the middle troop rode on a special roost behind the saddles. Needless to say they drew the attention of the Bastarnae. The Germanic tribe did not welcome the armed intrusion but were intimidated by the ravens and wolves. Raben spoke to those who didn’t flee assuring them they came in peace seeking to capture tarpans and aurochs and asked if they knew the location of any herds. The further east they went, the forests thinned giving way to grasslands. As they set up camp at the end of the fourth day the birds reported the approach of a large body of hard riding mounted men from the southeast.

As the Raven Raiders settled in for the night Raben, the three wolves and forty ravens slipped away to investigate the approaching men. With stealth they approached the camp. It didn't take him long to discover there were over 1100 mounted Goths with a handful of Bastarnae guides intent on taking out the ‘Roman’ invaders. After learning what he needed Raben silently snuck up on the guards, whacking them on the head dropping them whereupon the wolves ripped out their throats and tore open their guts gobbling down the tastiest bits before moving on to the next guard. After taking out the 10 perimeter guards the wolves spread out around the camp. Raben tilted back his head and howled with the wolves immediately joining in.

The startled camp sprang to life as the haunting threatening howls continued all around the camp. As the warriors sprang to their arms, silhouetted by their campfires Raben fired arrows into them picking off anyone who seemed to be trying to organize the chaotic mass of men while the wolves trotted about the camp pausing to howl so at least one wolf was howling at all times. By the time the warriors had organized Raben howled once more.

“We are the Raven Raiders,” Raben shouted in their language as he stepped from the shadows followed by the three wolves. Forty ‘krocking’ ravens flew out of the dark night to settle on the ground in front of him.

The Goths looked around fearing an attack from another direction. But it was the small human with the wolves and ravens that shook them to the core.

“I am Raben, the Demon Slayer,” he declared. “My warriors are the Raven Raiders. We came here in peace yet you pursue us intending to kill us. You have already paid a high price for your arrogance. Leave us in peace or prepare for your death!”

With that the ravens took to the air in a flurry of wings and raucous ‘krocking’. Raben and the wolves used the distraction to slip away to head back to his camp leaving 43 dead behind.

The Goths were thoroughly spooked. Ravens were a sign of bad luck, danger and death. They never saw Raben and the wolves move, to them it appeared as if they had vanished into the night as blood curdling wolf howls once more erupted from the darkness about them. Arrows had cut down many of their best leaders with deadly accuracy. Then finding their guards dead, obviously silently killed and partially eaten by wolves, totally unnerved them since they knew the Roman troops they were seeking had been accompanied by wolves and ravens. The were so unnerved there was no way they could get back to sleep.

At dawn Raben had the Raven Raiders strike camp and move out as if nothing had happened. The Goths buried their dead and looked through the high grasses of the open plain for signs of the Roman sneak attack but they were unable to find any signs except that the wolf kills had all been urinated upon by the wolves.

Their leader was furious and humiliated. Word of the bold Roman incursion had spread fast. As a young warrior chief he had seen this incursion as an opportunity to prove his mettle in battle as did his followers. Now they were intimidated. If he failed now his hopes for a glorious future would be snuffed out. With a rousing speech he urged his men to mount and pursue the Romans. They all knew the only way to purge their fear was to annihilate the cursed Romans. They broke camp and with hearts filled with hatred charged after their prey. They found the abandoned Roman camp ten miles away from them and the path they traveled was plain to see.

Thanks to the raven overwatch Raben knew they were being followed. A bit after lunch the forward scouting ravens spotted aurochs and tarpans grazing along the marshy flood plane of the Tisa river at {GM 48.081362, 22.910460 near PD Tysobyken}. Raben had the Raven Raiders shift their route to intersect the half mile wide swampy ground leaving a clear path for their pursuers to follow. In this flat marshy 10 mile long sector the Tisa broke into two, three and four twisting and interconnecting tree and shrub lined meandering branches that were often too thick with undergrowth to ride into.

Raben ran ahead on foot to contact the herds of aurochs and tarpans. Raben openly and serenely walked into the grasses carefully approaching the grazing aurochs and tarpans. With his animal communication abilities he soothed them and as best he could explained his strategy. The animals certainly had no love for the local humans who often hunted them so when they learned Raben wanted to kill the bad men they were almost eager to help. The animals were spooked by the idea of fire but Raben explained they'd be safe in the river. They were to ‘flee' the fire to the closed end of the ‘horseshoe' moving into the streams then split in two, half to the upstream side and the other half to the downstream side, using their bulk to block the bad horse mounted men from escaping the trap.

Returning to his troops Raben led his warriors into the swamp, past the warily grazing aurochs and tarpans, across a 20 feet wide muddy stream, through a thirty feet wide shrub free and treeless low marshy island, then a 40 feet wide stream at the inside top of a huge ‘horseshoe’ shaped meander of the watercourse. Movement was severely slowed down and limited by the water, high grasses, reeds and mud. They headed downstream a half mile before finding a place to enter the sheltering forest that formed the far boundary of the wider channel. Once inside the mini forest the undergrowth thinned allowing them to ride back to where they crossed the streams. Raben set up two troops of Raven Raiders in the cover of the trees with their weapons at the ready and plenty of arrows. He split the third troop, sending two sections along the upstream side of the horseshoe and the other two sections along the downstream side. One wolf accompanied the downstream group and 2 the upstream group. Guided by the wolves and ravens they traveled two miles along the streams forming the arms of the horseshoe. They hid their horses in trees by the river, then spread them out in a line through the dry grass across the 150 feet wide mouth of the horseshoe stopping just short of the trail the Raven Raiders had left when they entered the area. Each warrior had fire starter kits and torches in addition to their weapons and arrows. They hunkered down to wait.

The raven overwatch reported the Goths were approaching but were about an hour away. It was an hour before sundown when the Goths appeared. The ravens soared overhead spooking the Goth and Bastarnae scouts as they headed into the marshy area then disappeared. Once they crossed the small island and were down in the larger stream they were hidden from the view of the main body. Raben fired the opening shot that signaled his men to cut down the scouts. With that he signaled the ravens of the two hidden troops with the wily ravens flying en mass ‘krocking’ raucously out of the trees. The warriors hiding in the grasses, now behind the main body of Goths and behind the aurochs and tarpans, lit their torches then ignited the grass, quickly moving to create a solid wall of fire. As Raben had hoped the prevailing wind from the west drove the fire towards the Goths, aurochs and tarpans. Once the fires were roaring the on foot troop followed the flames through the smoldering blackened earth with their bows at the ready.

The Goths, weary from the short sleep and long ride, were clearly unnerved by the sudden flight of the noisy ravens. Squealing and bellowing, the aurochs and tarpans stampeded through the startled Goths. Caught unprepared, the horses of the Goths were swept into the contagious stampede and fear. Bucking and jerking about several men were unhorsed and trampled in the chaos. In the chaos they realized the grasslands behind them were on fire and it was too late to turn back. Without orders the Goths broke and headed for the safety of the water.

The marshy land and muddy streams bogged down the Goth’s disorganized flight. The anxiously milling tarpans and aurochs had split into two groups effectively blocking the Goths from fleeing up or down stream. The Raven Raiders, deadly marksmen all, opened fire on the near stationary Goths haphazardly splashing about mere feet away from trees. Unaware of their perilous plight dozens were easily struck down. By the time they realized they’d run into an ambush, they were in the trap. Smoke from the fire made them choke and blink their eyes. They couldn’t see their enemy hidden in the trees which deflected most of the smoke upwards. A few tried to charge the hidden archers but were unable to penetrate the brush and were easily cut down. Several tried to flee back through the fire. Most of their horses refused to leave the safety of the water. The few who did, as they charged through the scorching flames they were cut down by the arrows of troop that had started the fires. The Goths were trapped between 163 archers from the trees and another 79 from the scorched earth. Several Goths tried to use their bows to counter the devastating barrage striking them down but they were terrible marksmen from horseback, especially with their horses trying to move in the muck. Several finally realized their only hope was to dismount as being on horseback only made them clearer targets. However the squealing of the horses, tarpans and bellowing of the aurochs made communication near impossible and being on foot in the swirling maelstrom of four legged animals, especially in the muddy now thoroughly churned water and reeds, proved dangerous as many slipped and fell being trampled beneath the water.

Within 5 minutes no Goths remained mounted and the muddy water had turned a deep dark reddish brown from the blood of the dead and dying Goths. As the flames died down a bit over a 100 surviving Goths managed to stumble up the stream bank they ridden down forming into a defensive fighting circle on the island. The on foot troop of Raven Raiders stayed back while pouring arrows into the group as did the Raven Raiders still hidden in the trees.

“Enough!” Raben bellowed as he moved out from amongst the milling aurochs, tarpans and horses to face the shattered Goths on the downstream end of the island. “I warned you to leave us in peace or face death! Now most of your companions are dead. Lay down your weapons and live.”

The Goths were clearly shocked by the lopsided massacre. Yet they were too proud to capitulate. One of them screamed and charged Raben with the rest quickly following.

“Fools! I warned you I am the Demon Slayer!” With that Raben drew his sword and a knife and charged the Goths.

The Raven Raiders watched in horror as the mob of soggy Goths engulfed the leader of the Clan Corvo. They had all heard the tales of Raben’s battle melee acumen, but few alive in Barmaz had seen it. Even now they couldn’t see it as the diminutive Demon Slayer was subsumed by the swarming larger Goths. They all knew there was no way one man could survive such uneven odds. Yet the clangor of battle raged, the screams and moans of the mortally wounded rent the air and the knot of men moved about on the bank leaving a steady trail of dead and dying Goths expelled from the bloody scrum.

After another 5 minutes the ever smaller cluster of Goths splintered and men dropped their weapons, kneeling in submission. Standing in the middle was a blood soaked apparition from hell. Raben stood, the sword and knife still clenched in his hands. No one spoke. The Raven Raiders were as equally stunned as the surviving Goths that the small hellion still stood.

“I warned you I am the Demon Slayer,” Raben growled, then tilted his head back to howl. The wolves joined in with the ravens ‘krocking’, the aurochs bellowing, and the tarpans and horses neighing.

Raben thanked the animals for their assistance and asked them to stay near as he wanted to talk to them tomorrow. The two troops of Raven Raiders emerged from the trees to join the third troop as they rounded up and disarmed the confounded and disheartened surrendered Goths. They had them pull the dead from the water, they’d bury them tomorrow. Raben walked amongst them, praising his troops and checking on their welfare. Four were slightly wounded. There were 56 Goth prisoners and when the count was finally tallied, 947 dead of which Raben was responsible for 64. No one doubted he was indeed the Demon Slayer.

Raben stepped into the river to wash the blood from himself. The Goths were tough. Not all the blood that had been covering him was theirs. Several had scored what would have proved fatal wounds if he didn’t have the Curse. But there was no way he was about to reveal that! By the time he emerged from the water the wounds were healing. He knew the bloody battle would reinforce the legends of the Demon Slayer and the Raven Raiders.

In the morning the Raven Raiders searched the bodies stripping them of weapons and other valuables. The prisoners then buried the dead. With the wolves guarding them, the disillusioned prisoners didn’t even think of trying to escape. Raben spoke to the animals explaining the human populations were growing and they would be hunted until none were left. After witnessing the slaughter Raben had inflicted upon the Goths they had no doubts he spoke the truth. That he promised them a peaceful and safe place to live seemed an acceptable deal. The tarpans and aurochs agreed to accompany them. Raben dispatched raven mail messages telling Barmaz to stock up on hay and straw for the quadrupeds.

The next day they set out at a leisurely pace allowing the herbivores frequent rest stops to eat and water. They had a herd of 20 aurochs, 35 tarpans, and 973 formerly Goth horses. As the caravan traveled back to Aquincum they encountered numerous Bastarnae who simply looked at the glum Goths and over 973 riderless formerly Goth horses in addition to the Aurochs and Tarpans.

Raben allowed the Bastarnae elders and leaders to talk to the Goth prisoners so the word would spread of the one-sided massacre by the Raven Raiders and the Demon Slayer. Raben also spoke to the leadership to explain he had come in peace. The fact the ravens, and wolves listened to him, not to mention the aurochs, tarpans, and horses, helped convince them to fear the Demon Slayer and the Raven Raiders.

Word of the massacre quickly spread through the Bastarnae and Goths. They knew that 1102 Goths had set out to crush the 243 Raven Raiders. That only 56 Goths survived as prisoners on their way to slavery while not a single Raven Raider was lost created a very real aura of invincibility. The legends of the Demon Slayer and the Raven Raiders were most certainly reinforced and quickly spread. The ‘barbarians’ all along the Danube now knew of them.

Instead of crossing the Danube at Aquincum, they stayed on the north bank. While the aurochs and tarpans were willingly accompanying the trek, they were still wild animals. The Danube at Aquincum was too wide and swift to swim. There was simply no way the untamed beasts would willingly board a ferry or even cross a narrow bridge across the 500 feet wide river. Raben also understood the animals would refuse to go through towns. The man made canyons dangerously smelled of humans and looked like traps. With the immense 1197 mixed quadruped herd this meant the road home took much longer with day long pauses to allow grazing. The Raven Raiders were disciplined enough to keep the herd together and safe. At most stops Raben negotiated grazing rights by giving away a few of the captured Goth horses. The ravens flew overwatch and served as a deterrent to any who might hope to cause trouble.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 40: 343-347 CE: A Revised Grand Tour

At Regensburg the Regen River joins the Danube. The confluence of the two rivers occurs in a relatively flat alluvial valley which led to the several large islands in the rivers. The crossing of the Regen was about 100 feet wide. Then it was 80 feet to an island in the Danube, 70 feet to the next island, 80 feet to the third island, then 100 feet to the opposite side of the Danube. From there they headed south to Lake Constance, only this time they went around the east side.

The aurochs and tarpans had been wary of being so close to humans throughout the trip, but true to Raben’s promises, they had been safe and well fed. The longer they traveled with the humans, the more they realized these humans were different from others. While the humans could be deadly, they respected the animals. As the animals entered into the upper Rhone river valley they saw the wall being built across the entrance as well as the defensive walls on the mountains. They saw hundreds of carefree domesticated animals grazing in the fields.

They led the aurochs and tarpans into the valley of the Turbachbach, turning the valley above the village of Turbach {PD 46.478549, 7.335786} into their free range preserve. A low 2 feet high stone wall was built across the valley that the aurochs and tarpans could easily recognize yet cross if needed. Raben had barns built at places along the wall. The upper floor with access to the human side for hay & straw storage and the bottom for the beasts to shelter from the winter winds and snows with a door on the downwind side open for unobstructed entrance and egress.

As the year 343 drew to an end Raben knew he’d been correct that the turmoil in the empire was growing worse as were the barbarian incursions. The Roman empire was engulfed in turmoil. The Persians were once more threatening the eastern borders. Constantius II was tied up with that campaign. The brothers were on the point of open warfare in 346 over the Arianism/Catholicism dispute. The conflict was only resolved by an interim agreement which allowed each emperor to support their preferred clergy within their own spheres of influence. In addition Constans was an active homosexual with a growing reputation for scandalous behavior with handsome often resistant barbarian hostages. Constans developed a reputation for cruelty and misrule. Under pressure from Christian leaders and to placate public outrage at his own perceived indecencies, Constans did sponsor a decree alongside Constantius II that ruled that marriage based on unnatural sex should be punished. The decree outlawed homosexual marriages only, rather than homosexual activity more generally. Dominated by favorites and openly preferring his select bodyguard, he rapidly lost the support of the legions.

During this time Raben was streamlining the trade/travel inter-province routes between Gaul and Italy through the Allobroge areas of the expanded province. Instead of divergent routes they were funneled into just one route from each border crossing gate complex. Everyone passing through a border gate complex had to obtain a passport listing their name, place of origin, business, and destination. An itinerary with route was attached. Any deviation from the route would subject the person to arrest and punishment. Those passing from one adjoining province to another adjoining province had a well defined route through Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. Those who had business inside the province were trickier but equally regulated.

Those passing through the province were organized into caravans at the gate complex and escorted by Raven Raiders. In addition, non-government travelers were required to surrender all weapons at the gate complexes. The weapons were labeled and placed in guarded wagons that accompanied the caravans with the weapons returned as they left the province.

New inter-province stone paved roads built 50 feet wide. The roads sloped to the center where stone box drains funneled the water into the valley. These new commercial roads were relocated from the valleys onto the hillsides where they were dug into the hillsides. The uphill retaining walls were built a minimum of 20 feet high at a slope of 75°. A defense wall 5 feet thick and high with a low parapet enabling soldiers to look down onto the road was built atop the retaining wall. Behind that a gully 15 feet fide and 5 feet deep was dug to catch any debris that might tumble down the slope before it damaged the walls. Any streams flowing down the hill and any rain runoff was captured and diverted by the gully. On the valley side of the new road stone defensive walls were built to a height of 25 feet above the road. Ten feet wide at the bottom they narrowed to three feet at the top with parapet steps for soldiers to overlook the roads. Every 1000 feet matching watchtowers was erected. Access tunnels were dug under the road connecting the watchtowers.

Every 8 miles a rest stop 500 feet square was built. They were surrounded by walls and watchtowers overlooking the rest stop. The wooden buildings included barns with stables. Places to eat, drink, and sleep catered to everyone from Senators to the destitute, who were offered short term work to pay for lodging and food. A heavily guarded gate complex allowed highly limited access into the valley, mainly for Clan Corvo employees and supplies.

In areas where an inter-province road had to pass across a valley, the road would be elevated to pass over local roads and streams. At all times, the inter-province roads were between manned defense walls and watchtowers, even when elevated.

Raben received a raven mail message from Bjorn in the winter of 345-346 asking him to come north. There had to be an important reason for the request so Raben made arrangements to accompany the 500 emigrants heading to Bazram {PD Trondheim Fjord}. With 2 divisions of Raven Raiders escorting the Corvus Shipping caravan the trip was made without incident. The voyage north also went smoothly. When he arrived it was to find sixty four year old Bjorn was showing his age. The old man smiled upon seeing his ever young friend and mentor.

“It’s good to see you again,” Bjorn declared as they hugged.

“It’s good to see you again,” Raben replied. “How can I help you?”

Never one to mice words Bjorn got right to the point. “My heart is failing. I don’t have much time on my hands. I wanted to formally introduce you to my grandson, Svenn, who will be replacing me. I hope I can hang on long enough for you to take him on a grand tour like you did for me.”

Svenn, 22, was a solid, powerful man with a quick wit but enough intelligence to engage his brain before his mouth. He’d proved himself quite adept at managing various important projects around Bazram whose population was just shy of 14,000. His people skills were outstanding. There was also no doubt he was in awe of Raben. His earliest memory of the clan leader had been when he was 8. Like all children, he loved to listen to his grandfather speak of his grand tour and tell the multitudinous stories of Raben’s adventures. It was hard for the child to reconcile the image he’d conjoured of a powerful imposing man doing those fantastic deeds with the tween he saw. In the 3 visits between then and now he’d noticed how Raben never changed. At age 12 he’d been bigger than Raben. Now he towered above the eternal youth. From his earliest memories he’d longed to go on a grand tour like his grandfather. Now it was about to happen! He was excited and eager, not only to travel but to learn from the fabled Demon Slayer.

Bjorn had a ship and crew ready with a load of iron. Svenn made sure they had adequate supplies as they set sail non-stop around Norway’s coast then cut south across the North Sea through the English Channel stopping in the Port of Brest in Brittany to resupply. From there they sailed across the Bay of Biscay and around the Iberian Peninsula then into the Atlantic Ocean to Ramzab {PD Madeira}.

The voyage was uneventful but never the less exciting. Svenn learned of open sea voyages and marveled at the ease with which Raben scampered up the mast like a squirrel. There were also periods for meditation which Raben insisted Svenn join so he learned to center himself since it assisted a person to maintain their temper.

Raben used the time at sea to give himself a chance to regroup while pausing from dealing with one crisis after another while trying to guide the Clan Corvo through the slowly growing crumbling of the Roman Empire. As he examined all that was going on he realized the Clan Corvo was growing faster than he had expected. Saving the 240,000 Alemanni from slavery and merging them into the Clan Corvo had exploded the population. He pondered long term concerns for the Clan Corvo. Because of their peace and prosperity, they had a modest but sustained 2% a year population growth. Unlike most of Imperial Rome, the Clan Corvo avoided the deprivations of the barbarian invasions which all too many times created starvation in addition to the oft resulting diseases and plagues.

The expanded province Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae had an estimated sustainable population target of 3 to 3 1/2 million. They were currently at 1,354,000 people. They were currently sending 500 people a year to Bazram and 4000 a year to Ramzab. Those numbers needed to drastically rise. Raben made plans that starting in 350, they would send 3000 people to Bazram and 23,000 to Ramzab.

With the discovery of iron deposits in the annexed Alloborge area the yearly iron shipments from Bazram were no longer critical so could be used in Bazram to solidify their already dominate regional position. With the Ramzab shipyard in production the 5 ships and 50 people moving yearly from Bazram to Ramzab could cease. The 4 year delay in upping the emigration would give both areas and Corvus Shipping time to gear up for the increase. The huge increase of people heading to Ramzab created another issue. If their population growth was unchecked they'd hit their target maximum population by 357. That meant Raben had to promptly dispatch exploratory voyages immediately to locate and identify other mid-Atlantic islands suitable for colonization.

Upon reaching Ramzab the iron shipment was welcomed by the growing colony. The fifteen year old colony had a population just shy of 68,000. The terracing was continuing with every stepped slope near the settlement green with crops. Terracing was also being done in areas to be settled in the future. Raben’s news of the soon to be drastically increased immigration spurred that activity in high gear.

Later Island had a satellite population of 2500, what Raben estimated was 45% of the population the small island could accommodate. The salt works was going strong and the fishing was good. Wooden racks filled with drying fish covered several acres. Nets kept the always ravenous sea birds at bay. The dried fish were layered with salt in barrels for storage and shipment to Zarbam. The crops and flocks were doing well. The arroyos near the salt works and village were being terraced and were green with crops. Olive trees were flourishing on the drier west and north slopes, sheep roamed freely around the green northern side of the worn volcanic cone of the long extinct volcano.

The Ramzab shipyard was making clinker ships at the rate of 1 a month. Raben knew he’d have to recruit caravel shipbuilders at Zarbam to send here to start producing caravel ships. Raben spoke with the Ramzab shipbuilders and fleet captains explaining what the future held. "In the writings that helped us discover Ramzab, there were references to other islands out in the Atlantic. They referred to a group of islands further out to the northwest. The distance mentioned is varied so they could be between 3 to 5 days sailing away. What I'd like you to do is send out 3 ship search teams with the vessels staying together to offer assistance in case of an emergency. I'll explain the mission to our ravens who will accompany you. They can give you a better spread on the search. It will also allow you send raven mail ravens with messages back here."

The fleet commander asked, "A lot of people will be involved in building housing and barns as well as speeding up the construction of terracing and water channels. We’ll also need to increase the fishing fleets since we'll need larger catches to help feed the newcomers. With the ships we’re building we’re in good shape. We currently have 30 ships out of the water upside down on stands so we have a reserve. One thing we need to do is train more crew, especially if we need to man the stored vessels."

"I'd like you to begin exploratory voyages as soon as you're safely able to do so," Raben answered. "I'm aware of the demands the influx of colonists will make upon your resources. Taking care of the spring and end of summer supply fleets and your normal fishing will keep you busy. However you should be able to dispatch 3 ship, 10 day exploration expeditions at a time. We need to learn what's out there and how far away it is before making any settlement plans. We will follow standard safe operating procedures. I don't want any of the explorers to take unnecessary chances so go only when the weather is clear and turn away from bad weather before it hits you. Do the exploration as safely as possible. Once you find the islands, if things seem iffy, other trips can see how many islands there are and if they're habitable. If you find them we’ll name them Azores. We'll go from there."

The captains understood and were eager to begin. The thrill of exploration excited them. They decided they could get the first voyage underway in 2 weeks. Svenn was clearly impressed with the flourishing colony.

After 10 days they sailed from Ramzab to Zamrab where they spent 2 weeks touring the sites of Egypt. They then headed to Ostia to visit Mazbar and for a tour of Rome. While the city Colosseum and temples impressed the young man, the crowded streets and jammed tenements made Svenn long for wide open spaces of home. Returning to Ostia they sailed northwest to Zarbam. Once more Svenn was impressed. The massiveness of the port was beyond anything he’d conceived for a port. Learning that it was only started 16 years previously boggled his mind. Taking what had been farmland and marsh and transforming it into a large port in that short time was mind boggling. By this time the jetties had been widened and fortified as the defenses for the first port were completed. The jetties for the second adjacent port were almost completed. Each port had docking for 100 ships and protected anchorages for 200. Needless to say Svenn was impressed by the defenses and security of the Clan Corvo Port.

While there Raben talked to the shipbuilders. The caravels of Corvus Shipping were upgraded and the new ships built larger. Currently, the Bazram clinker vessels had keels of 54 feet, beam of 12 feet, draft of 3 feet, one mast, crew of 10, cargo of 24 tons and could carry 25 passengers. The initial Zamrab caravels had keels of 52 feet, beam of 17 feet, draft of 7 feet, 2 masts and bow sprint, 1 deck, crew of 15, cargo of 100 tons and could carry 35 passengers. With upgrades of quarter decks and forecastles they could handle 50 passengers. The new larger vessels were being built with keels of 85 feet, beam of 22 feet, draft of 9 feet, 3 masts with bow sprint, 2 decks, quarter deck and forecastle, crew of 30, cargo of 180 tons and could carry 120 passengers. An even larger ship was planned with a keel of 150 feet, beam of 35 feet, draft of 12 feet, 3 masts and bow sprint, 3 decks, quarter deck and forecastle, crew of 35, cargo of 360 tons and could carry 250 passengers.

The biggest change was the development of a proto-rudder to steer the vessels. Following Egyptian designs of a stern mounted steering oars, the Romans used a stern mounted steering oar usually mounted through a hole or ‘U' block on the keel. This still left the oarsman handling the full weight of the oar. The modification was to mount a sturdy upright board on a pivot pin system which supported the weight of the board while allowing the steersman to simply move the board. By then the shipyard in Zarbam had established a primitive assembly line similar to the one in Bazram and both could now produce a new vessel every 2 weeks.

Raben spoke with the workers at the shipyard. He wanted some skilled shipbuilders to relocate with their families to Ramzab so they could begin building the 180 ton caravel. The plan was for them to head out as part of the spring fleet.

Before Raben and Svenn left Zarbam, raven mail arrived informing the first exploratory voyage had found the archipelago and were exploring it. Raben planned to head to Ramzab after returning from Barzam next spring.

The pair joined a Corvus Shipping caravan traveling to the Provence of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. Svenn’s mouth fell open upon entering the gate complex fortress at the Aix-En-Provence entre point. The imposing massive defensive walls and glacis extended away from the gate as far as could be seen. As they traveled deeper into the Clan Corvo territory Svenn had trouble believing the area and population was so huge. At 1,354,000 the number of Clan Corvo members living in the expanded Roman province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae was politically and theologically under the oversight of Clan Corvo and that 99% of the population were clan members simply boggled his mind. That was a hell of a lot of cousins! Raben showed him the defenses of the Clan Corvo as well as the zoo.

Svenn was utterly awed by the elephants and chimpanzees. While the animals had spacious open habitats, they also performed tasks for the Clan Corvo. The elephants often were taken to various locations to provide the strength for heavy lifting. Small groups of chimpanzees were also used to climb inaccessible cliffs and high mountains dragging and placing ropes allowing humans to follow so they could perform tasks. Raben explained that one of the 360 ton ships was set up to transport 3 elephants as well as 10 chimpanzees to the colonies to perform work as needed. The animals usually went out for 2 years making the rounds of the colony before returning to the zoo, The animals were switched out so the vessel was usually available.

The massive defensive walls along the lower Rhone river and Lac Leman made those areas nearly impregnable. The still being built defensive walls across the hills and mountains were impressive. The gate complexes and harbor gates were mind boggling in their scale and gave Svenn ideas for Bazram. Svenn learned a great deal. He and the crew that had accompanied him overwintered in Barmaz. The size of the Corvus Scriptorium library stunned him. He’d never imagined there could be so many writings!

With Svenn at his side Raben reviewed the progress of his weapon researchers. They had improved his designs. They now had round ceramic jars filled with a highly flammable thick liquid. A smaller wax coated juglet was used to plug the fill hole. The juglet was half filled with quicklime, a thin waterproofing layer of wax topped off with water. These were made in several sizes, large for use with a ballista, medium for use with an Onager, small for hand throwing. Upon impact the ceramics would break spreading the flammable liquid, the smaller juglet would break mixing the water and quicklime which reacted with extreme heat igniting the flammable liquid. The shaft of scorpio bolts were modified with four thin ceramic tubes attached, three with flammable liquid and one filled with quicklime and water.

Once more Raben slightly expanded the Raven Raiders by adding a tiger to each division.

In the spring 347 they headed north with the 500 emigrants and 2 divisions of Raven Raiders and the Corvus Shipping caravan to Bonna to meet the regular iron shipment. They took a shipload of the ceramic bombs and plans for ballistas, onagers, and scorpios.

Upon arriving in Bazram they found Bjorn bedridden, barely clinging to life. Raben checked him, quickly realizing his heart was indeed failing.

Svenn told his grandfather all he had seen, especially Ramzab. The dying man listened as intently as his grandson had when the old man told his eager grandchildren of his trip south as a teen. By the time the tales were told, it was clear Bjorn had been hanging on just to hear them. Much of the family had gathered waiting for their beloved patriarch’s end. They were greatly relieved Raben and Svenn had returned.

Bjorn demanded he be carried outside declaring he wanted to die in the sunlight. Gathering his strength he managed to struggle to his feet supported by aides to speak. “Hear me, children! It is time I bid you farewell. I go to the reward Jesus promised and will see you there when you arrive when your time in this life is done. My last act is to relinquish control of the Bazram branch of the Clan Corvo to our Clan Chieftain, Raben Corvo, who will appoint my successor. May our united clan live well and prosper!” The aids helped the clearly exhausted elder sit.

“It is with a heavy heart I accept your charge,” Raben declared as he clasped Bjorn’s hand with one hand and did likewise with Svenn using the other hand while Svenn grasped his grandfather’s free hand. “As head of the Clan Corvo, I thank Bjorn Olvrisson for his years of dedicated service and bid him peace and honor. I appoint Svenn Olvrisson as the new head of Bazram. May his time as leader be as successful as that of his grandfather and great great grandfather!”

The crowd erupted in cheers. Bjorn smiled, squeezing the hands of Raben and Svenn. Then his grips slacked and his head dropped forward to his chest. Svenn and Raben realized Bjorn had passed.

“Svenn,” Raben announced. “Your first task as head of Clan Corvo Bazram is to conduct your grandfather’s funeral.”

The crowd looked at Bjorn realizing their much venerated leader had passed on. Many bit their lips in an effort to hold back the tears other’s freely shared. Svenn choked up for a moment then took charge of the 14,600+ Clan Corvo north.

Raben stepped back, once more being hit by the grief of losing another friend. This one he had mentored from the age of fifteen and helped develop into a true selfless leader. He’d watched Bjorn grow from a rambunctious teen into old age and now death while he never changed. With a heart ripping sigh he hoped to be able to do the same with Svenn.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 41: 347-352 CE: Colonizing the Azores

Since Christianity had taken hold of the Clan Ravn the burial practices changed. The circular burial mound of Olvris was huge, 180 feet in diameter and 19 feet high, had been fine for the honoring the Norse gods, but was considered a bit too ostentatious for Christianity. Svenn decided the mound could become a dynastic memorial for those who led Bazram.

Family members had been buried around the burial mound and that would continue, however, the successors of Olvris would be buried atop the mound. As the first successor, Bjorn would be buried on the top with a simple gravestone. When Svenn’s time came, he would be buried beside his grandfather, with future successors following suit as the grave sites wound around and down the hill. There would be more than enough room to bury centuries of successors. Svenn would also erected a huge memorial stone listing the names and lineage of those buried in and on top of the burial mound along with the dates of the birth, rule, and death. Additions would be made as needed.

Three days later Bjorn was laid to rest at noon, then an all afternoon celebration of his life was held.
Two days later, Raben took a ship heading south to Zarbam. He’d decided to increase the emigration immediately to start settling the new colony. He sent raven mail to Barmaz requesting a battalion of Raven Raiders and their families as well as 1000 masons, 3000 farmers, and 500 carpenters and their families to be ready with tools to emigrate to the new colony of Azores, heading to Zarbam over a 9 week period in groups sailing 1 week apart starting in a month. Each of the 4 skill sets were to be equally divided amongst the 9 fleets. The message also told Zarbam to prepare a fleet to carry these new colonists to the new colony in nine fleets setting off 1 week apart.

The first search from Ramzab for the mid-Atlantic islands had been successful. They discovered an archipelago Raben had decided in advance would be named Azores. A Raven was dispatched to notify Ramzab that the small fleet was going to explore the islands and that they could re-supplying from the islands along with fishing so they could spend the next several months exploring. That message had been passed on to Raben who began organizing colonists. The first island had a large population of ravens and no animals. They named the island Santa Maria {GM 36.977479, -25.085990}, an oblong 37.6 square miles, 7 miles in long and 3 miles wide. Due to the impermeability of some clay soils the west was dryer because the water run off so there were fewer leafy plants or grasses. However, the fine clay would be ideal for pottery. There were also limestone deposits they could process for cement. The next and largest island, also with a large raven population, was Sao Miguel {GM 37.778299, -25.474763} 55 miles to the north covering 290 square miles being 39 miles long and 10 miles wide. There were numerous volcanoes and cones across the landscape with hot springs and geysers in the center. The entire island was green with vegetation and quite fertile. The last part of the initial island grouping was a grouping of lifeless rocky low outcroppings they simply named Formigas Islets {GM 37.271242, -24.780598}. They were located 27 miles northeast of Santa Maria.

While they had been exploring the islands they sent ravens exploring to the northeast. They returned having found more islands. The 3 ships sailed northeast finding a grouping of 5 islands, each with large raven populations. Terceira {GM 38.723792, -27.202767} was 117 miles northwest of Sao Miguel. The fertile oval island had an area of 153 square miles was 17.7 miles long and 9.7 miles wide. Graciosa {GM 39.057023, -28.021102} was 45 miles northwest of Terceira, the northernmost of this group of islands was oval with an area of 23.5 square miles being 6.2 miles long and 4.3 miles wide dominated by a 1 mile wide central caldera in the southeast. It was a fertile island ideal for agriculture. São Jorge {GM 38.646666, -28.035517} was 40 miles southwest of Terceira and 29 miles south of Graciosa. The long narrow fertile island had an area 95 square miles, was 34 miles long 2 miles wide. Located 11 miles south of São Jorge was Pico {GM 38.484442, -28.393352} had an area of 173 square miles, was 29 miles long and 10 miles wide. Located 17 miles west was Faial {GM 38.577267, -28.703401 PD} had an area of 67 square miles, was 13 miles long and 10 miles wide.

While they were exploring these islands the ravens were again sent out to the northwest. Again they returned having found more islands. After exploring the five islands they sailed to the next grouping 144 miles northwest of Faial. These also had large Raven populations. The closest was Flores {GM 39.438072, -31.204089 PD}, with an area of 55 square miles, was 10 miles long and 8 miles wide. Corvo {GM 39.699449, -31.107254} was 17 miles north with an area of 7 square miles was 4 miles long and 2 miles wide.

The ravens were sent out again but no more islands were found. They had found an archipelago of nine volcanic islands in 3 groupings of 2, 5 and 2 islands. The closest group of 2 habitable islands were 860 miles west of the Iberian Peninsula and 544 miles northwest of Ramzab, a sailing trip of 3 days from Ramzab.

There were nine major islands and an islet cluster in three main groups stretching 377 miles, all in a northwest direction. They had multiple volcanic cones and calderas, with fumaroles and hot springs. Five of the islands showed signs of small lava flows well over a few hundred years old judging by the vegetation that overtook the flow. None looked as if they'd had cataclysmic eruptions for thousands of years. All the islands had fresh water streams and were covered with vegetation and trees. The islands lacked large animals but had numerous birds, the most plentiful of which were ravens. Seasonal camps were established on each island as they did a quick exploration of the island.

The initial fleet and people to colonize Azores were waiting for Raben when he arrived in Zarbam at the end of July. The fleet sailed within 3 days carrying 1333 men, women and children supplies and farm animals on 3 of the new large ships available and 20 of the refurbished ships. Each weekly sailing would have the same number of vessels and nearly the same people for a total of 12,000 colonists. The shipyard workers Raben had recruited had traveled to Madeira with the regular spring colony trips which had only taken 45 of the refurbished ships which would also make the end of summer trip.

The first fleet set sail to the Ramzab colony on Madeira with Raben aboard. Upon arrival they briefly unloaded on Madeira. They picked up duplicate charts made by the initial explorers of the new colony. They resupplied, let the people stretch their legs, then sail onward to Azores Archipelago. A pair of clinker ships was being pulled out of storage to sail with each fleet to provide the colony’s meat requirements by fishing. More clinkers would be added over the years as the population grew, crews were trained, and ships became available.

Raben accompanied the fleet as it sailed to the closest island, Santa Maria, in the Azores Archipelago. The 3 day voyage was uneventful. The colonists landed on the south coast in a sheltered cove {36.945641, -25.147256 PD Vilo do Porto}. The entry to the cove was about 2500 feet wide between worn cliffs with shallow short rocky beaches. The cliffs closed in at 45°, one to the northeast and the other to the north west, for 2000 feet where they joined a 750 feet wide sandy beach that ran east to west. The slope behind the beach rose 300 feet over a distance of 3000 feet to the island's main plateau. On the east side of the slope was a valley 150 feet wide with a stream. On the west was a valley 75 feet wide with a smaller stream. In the center was a valley 50 feet wide with a tiny water course. Sloping rounded ridges connected the valleys as the rose to the plateau. The Raven Raiders explored the land situating the camp on the ridge between the east and center valleys. They selected areas suitable for agricultural fields and others for pasture. They found water sources that would be secure and safe from pasture runoff. They then laid out paths, roads and streets. By the end of the first evening everyone was on shore. It took 4 days to unload the ships. The masons and carpenters began building homes and barns. The farmers set up pastures and began planting crops. Once the foundations were built for the buildings, the masons began working on building breakwaters for the harbor.

A wind mill was built to operated a small saw mill to cut planks and timbers. The selected agricultural areas were prepared for fields of vegetables and winter grains and planted. Steeper areas were properly fenced off for pasture. It took two weeks for them to flesh out the initial settlement.

Raben had prepared several dozen ravens for raven mail before he left Madeira. The birds knew their duty roost on Madeira. Each island in the Azores Archipelago would have a raven mail roost established with Ravens designated to fly to the other islands for intra island messages as well as an inter island roost for communications between Santa Maria and Madeira.

By the time the next fleet arrived, Raben joined them as the sailed on to the next island. São Miguel was on the southern shore {37.716672, -25.429843 PD Vila Franco do Campo} just east of the island's center point, a voyage of 6 hours. Just as they had done on Santa Maria the initial colonists set up a main camp destined to become a town as the masons and carpenters began construction later securing a safe harbor. As the weekly colonial fleets arrived, Raben divided them between the 2 islands as he explored them. As the new fleet arrived, he sent the previous fleet back to Madeira keeping the 2 clinker ships as well as one refurbished caravel for each island.

By the end of October 347 the initial Azores migration was completed, the island of Santa Maria had a population of 5335 people while Sao Miguel had 6665 people. The new colony was well under way. Raben returned to Madeira and then Zarbam, using the time to meditate on the status of the Clan Corvo. Madeira had received 4909 colonists that year.

Raben came to a startling realization. With the current size of the still growing Corvus Shipping Fleet, they far outnumbered any commercial fleet. As far as sea going vessels, they also outnumbered the Sea Fleet of the Roman Empire. With 3 active shipyards, those gaps would continue to grow. With the steadily growing population of the Clan Corvo and it's growing sea power, Raben decided to established the Clan Corvo Marines, again to be made of both male and female warriors.

One portion would be warriors on ships who doubled as crew. Each vessel would be equipped with an onager mounted atop the forecastle. Those with cargos of 180 tons and larger would have a second onager mounted atop the quarterdeck.

The expansion into Azores showed the need for disciplined multi talented units that could explore new islands, establish base camps that would become the basis of settlements, able to secure water sources, blaze trails, set up farm land and pasture as well as to scope out natural resources. They would need basic skills in mapping, masonry, carpentry, farming, herding, fishing, and mining within each unit in addition to fighting skills. These Clan Corvo Marine units would be the Pathfinders.

The Pathfinders would need on the job training. They'd be built off the militia with a core of 1 out of 10 coming from the Raven Raiders, again being of mixed genders. The military training and discipline would serve as a solid base from which to grow.

Upon arriving in Zarbam he had the shipyard begin arming vessels with the Raven Raiders training crew in the use of the artillery and honing their fighting skills. A few hundred Raven Raiders transferred into the Pathfinder units forming their backbone.

The yearly fleets transferring 12,000 colonists to the Azores would continue doing so in the weekly departing 9 fleet mode done for the initial colonization. The first unit of pathfinders sailed on 4 vessels independent of but attached to the colonial fleet. They had 3 well supplied 180 ton caravel ships, each with 115 Pathfinders, and one clinker ship with 15 Pathfinders. They would follow the first fleet staying in sight. The weekly fleet dispatch method was extremely efficient and avoided jams loading and unloading.

In 348, Madeira received 4909 colonists. Of the 12,000 Azores colonists, 10835 landed on Sao Miguel since Santa Maria only needed 1165 to meet their maximum population of 6500. Raben checked both islands, then joined the 4 ships of pathfinders as they sailed the 89 miles to the island of Terceira, the largest of 5 island central group of islands.

As several men secured a water source, the main portion built a jetty to create a secure harbor. They then laid out their base, the future settlement site. While some mapped the island and it’s resources, others prepared fields and planted crops before establishing pastures. They had a year to prepare for the initial influx of colonists. The 360 Pathfinders had plenty to do over the next year. Raben returned to Sao Miguel in time to catch the return of the last delivery fleet.

The 349 fleets were quite similar. Madeira received 5016 colonists. This time 6 fleets with 8000 colonists landed on San Miguel while 3 fleets sailed a further 89 miles to the second island cluster of the Azores Archipelago with 4000 colonists. They landed and settled on Terciera, taking over the prepared settlement, planted farmland and pastures the Pathfinders had created. A new Pathfinder unit arrived with the first fleet to Terceira. They accompanied the soon to be departing original Pathfinders as they showed the colonists what they had prepared. The first Pathfinders embarked on their 3 caravel ships leaving the clinker for the new colony. They returned with the last fleet to Zambar to be refitted and enjoy a shore leave. The 4 new Pathfinder ships reloaded their men and sailed 37 miles northwest to the island of Graciosa which they would prepare for the next years colonists.

By 350, the jump in emigration was ready. Zarbam had far outgrown it’s initial space. The port and shipyard employed 10,000 people. As the home port for the Corvus Shipping Fleet, 266 vessels with 1780 crewmen called the port home. Then there were 1080 Pathfinders and a division of Raven Raiders. This created an employment of 18666 men. When you added in families Zarbam had a population of 46,000. The settlement spread across the entire valley occupying about 40 square miles. As usual, the Clan Corvo had already bought the land. In fact, they now owned all the land around the Etang de Berre including the entirety of the Mediterranean coast from Fos-sur-Mer in the west to the Pointe de Corbiere in the east, just northwest of Marseilles which included the Chanel de Caronte, the waterway connecting the Etange de Berre to the sea. Fortifications were began all along the coast similar to those along the Rhone and Lac Leman totally eliminating the shore with 75° 30 feet high glacis with defense walls 30 feet high above the glacis with watchtowers every 1000 feet. The 400 feet wide 2 1/2 mile long Channel de Caronte was likewise walled into a sinuous stacked triple ‘S’ becoming a deadly kill-zone for any vessels trying to force the passage.

Bazram sent 120 vessels to Bonna with the spring iron shipment to collect the 3000 settlers. Svenn had prepped housing spreading the new arrivals amongst those already living along Trondheim Fjord. population, which with the new arrivals swelled to more than 19,000. They began purchasing or marrying into neighboring farmsteads so they now controlled the entire peninsula extending southwest from Olvrishaugen.

The spring fleets to the colonies set sail in mid April. Each fleet took an average of 1333 colonists. The Madeira group was the largest at 10,000, Sao Miguel took the smallest at 4966, Terceira took 4000, and 5000 went to Graciosa taking over the settlement and farmland the Pathfinders had prepared. The colonists on Graciosa filled the population cap for that island. Once more the Pathfinders swapped out. The new unit set up on the island San George.

In 350, the duce of the Diocese of Gaul, Magnentius {technically making him the military commander of the Province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae} declared himself emperor with the support of the troops on the Rhine frontier and, later, the western provinces of the Empire. Constans, lacking any support beyond his immediate household, was forced to flee but was captured and killed. Constantius II broke off the seemingly never ending war in Syria with Persia and marched west, appointing one of his surviving cousins, Gallus, as his Caesar to maintain an imperial presence and hold the eastern empire against the Persians. Magnentius pulled more than fifty percent of the troops from the Rhine border before advancing his armies across Raetia and down the Danube to meet those of Constantius in the Battle of Mursa Major on September 28, 351. Magnentius led his troops into battle, while Constantius II spent the day of battle praying in a nearby church. Outflanked and defeated, Magnentius was forced to retreat. Between them, they suffered 54,000 casualties out of the 116,000 engaged in the bloody battle.

Magnentius fled across northern Italy through Turin to the Col de Montgenèvre. Although the gate complex was built along with a great deal of the adjoining defense walls, Raben was not ready to stop or disarm Imperial troops passing through the Province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. The inter-provincial roads were still a work in progress so the division of Raven Raiders stationed at the gate complex allowed the bedraggled force entry. A company of Raven Raiders accompanied Magnentius in a successful effort to keep them on the designated route.

The ever restless Franks and Alemanni took advantage of the Roman civil war with the resultant draw down of border troops and subsequent high losses to launch raids into Gaul and Raetia. Magnentius appointed his brother Decentius as vicarii of Gaul during the winter of 351-52, to oversee the defense of Gaul and the Rhine frontier.

Constantius II sent a letter to Chnodomar, a king of a sub-state in the Alemanni Confederacy, instigating an invasion across the Rhine well behind the rear of Magnentius' main forces. In early 352 Chnodamar led the Alemanni across the Rhine defeating Decentius and crushing the depleted Roman forces in the area. Several forts/towns along the Rhine were sacked and major incursions were made into Raetia and Gaul. The Alemanni captured many of the Roman forts along the Rhine, demolished their fortifications and established permanent camps on the Roman west bank of the river. The camps were used as bases to pillage Gaul, stopping commerce on the river. The defensive line of the upper Rhine had largely collapsed. The fort/cities of Moguntiacum {PD Mainz}, Borbetomagus {PD Worms}, Nemetae Vangionum {PD Speyer}, Tabernae {PD Saverne}, Saliso {PD Wagenhausen, Switzerland} and Argentorate {PD Strasbourg} were all in German hands. Apart from the major fortified city of Colonia Agrippina {PD Cologne}, only three strong points on the upper Rhine remained in Roman hands: a single tower near Cologne and the forts, at Rigodunum {PD Remagen) and Confluentes {PD Koblenz} All of the province of Germania Prime and the northern quarter of the province of Maxima Sequanorum had been overrun by the Alemanni. With the exception of the forts at Rigodunum and Confluentes, the Roman roads from Colonia Agrippina to Basilia were cut.

The 352 iron shipment had already left Barzam when the Rhine front collapsed. At the end of April Raben led 3 divisions of Raven Raiders through the walls at Lac Leman into Maxima Sequanorum. Each division had 6789 men, 2791 ravens, 81 wolves, 9 eagles and one tiger 9 artillery squads each with 1 onager with 3 crew and 3 scorpios with 2 crew each. The 4 artillery pieces were mounted on sturdy custom built wagons drawn by 4 horses with each artillery piece having a second wagon for ammunition. The Raven Raider's most important asset was their fierce reputation. Being accompanied by the Demon Slayer totally intimidated any opposition.

Fortunately the 120 ship fleet, now armed with onagers was imposing and the crews trained in fighting. They discovered the turmoil on the Rhine but decided to push north. They reached Colonia Agrippina, the last accessible port/fort on the Rhine without major incidents.

Raben led the column accompanied by the 3 tigers and their handles as they headed north. Three eagles flew high overwatch as did a third of the ravens. The remaining eagles rode atop one of the ammo wagons. Many of the ravens rode atop the wagons or on special leather aprons on the back of the horses. The raven banners of each of the 162 troops, 54 companies, 18 battalions and 6 brigades and 2 divisions along with Raben’s personal flag waved both defiantly and tauntingly as they rode through Roman held territory toward Basilia. They made no secret of their destination or purpose.

Word of the Raven Raider expedition quickly spread as the Franks and Alemanni had many spies and informants watching out for Roman legions. The story of how one company of Raven Raiders had annihilated over 1000 Goths with no losses was very well known reinforcing how a brigade of Raven Raiders utterly routed Constantine’s opposition at Milvan Bridge. The massive and growing fortifications surrounding Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae were also well known. That 3 divisions of the dreaded Clan Corvo unit had stepped outside Clan Corvo territory sent fear through the Franks and Alemanni. The presence of so many ravens, harbingers of misfortune and death, sent shivers through all potential opposition. The sheer number of wolves and eagles was also quite unnerving. What they found truly horrifying were the 3 massive 9 feet long, four feet tall at the shoulder 500 pound tigers walking calmly alongside the dreaded Demon Slayer. The huge felines looked at everyone they passed as if sizing up their next meal. Most people felt like a mouse hopelessly facing a stalking cat. That a crack combat unit not only had such a menagerie but that they fought with the troops was chilling.

The column traveled slowly as it was escorting 220 supply laden wagons from the Clan Corvo with the 3000 Clan Corvo people heading to Barzam in Norway. By the time they reached Basilia, merchants had gathered with their own wagons and guards hoping to accompany the column. Raben allowed another thirty wagons to slot in between his troops and wagons.

By the time they left Basilia, the road through the Frank and Alemanni held former Roman provinces was desolate. Scouts from the Franks and Alemanni stayed close to the column but never interfered. The eagle and raven overwatch kept a close eye on the watchers. Most towns and villages had been sacked, the population fled, killed or captured. While they killed the legionaries, the invaders preferred to take the inhabitants as slaves, sending them to their homes to tend their fields while they remained campaigning.

The Alemanni remembered the legendary Demon Slayer had saved 240,000 of their people from slavery during the ill fated invasion of Italy 93 years before and absorbed them into his then smaller Clan Corvo. They had no doubt that the Clan Corvo now numbered an intimidating 1.6+ million people. They felt they owed a tribal debt to the legendary figure. They were also aware that the Demon Slayer and Raven Raiders had utterly destroyed a force of Goths 4 times their size just nine years ago with no losses. Their fear of the Demon Slayer and Raven Raiders was very real and they did not want a confrontation.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 42: 352-353 CE: Frolicking on the Rhine

The Alemanni leadership were waiting in the ruins of the city of Argentorate {PD Strasbourg}. Delegates were sent out to the caravan asking for a parley. Raben agreed telling his people to set up camp for the night. Then he, 3 tigers and 30 wolves headed into the invader’s parley camp as 3 eagles and over 300 ravens circled overhead. That Raben went to the parley without any men told the Alemanni he had absolutely no fear of them.

For the first few moments the quite imposing Chnodamar tried to stare down the physically unimposing Raben. Accustomed to being dominant, the fact Raben met him stare to stare started to get under his skin. Then without breaking eye contact, Raben began to smirk. Suddenly the tigers let out simultaneous almost deafening deep throated roars that quite literally rattled the unprepared listeners bones while making their chests quiver. Much to his disgust, Chnodamar found himself blinking and taking a step back.

Raben’s smirk broadened into a smile of smug satisfaction. “We have a lot to discuss. Why don’t we sit.”

Everyone who heard Raben understood from the firm, unwavering tone of his voice that he was not asking them to sit down, he was ordering them to do so.

Without waiting Raben walked to and sat by a nearby fire. As the unsettled men took seats around the fire the tigers languidly moved to either side of Raben with the wolves providing menacing backup, glaring at the extremely nervous men. Raben began the deep bass chuffing tigers use to speak to each other and the tigers, who clearly understood, chuffed their replies. After a bit of back and forth conversation, which the Alemanni realized was an actual discussion, the tigers stretched out upon the ground and began to nonchalantly groom themselves, making the men shudder. Raben gave out a piercing screech and a majestic eagle flew down to land between his legs glaring at the unfamiliar men further unnerving the Alemanni. Raben then krocked several times and three ravens came down, one alighting on his head, the others on his shoulders. It was a clear demonstration that Raben talked to and controlled the animals, unambiguously adding to his already quite formidable mystique.

“I’ll be very blunt. I have not come to fight you,” Raben began after seeing Chnodomar and the other Alemanni Kings were too uncertain to begin. “I have Clan Corvo business in Colonia Agrippina, which I’ve conducted for over fifty years in Bonna. However, your invasion destroyed the town and fort making it impossible to conduct business there. I have goods and supplies in my wagons and am providing support for merchants to travel with me. We will resupply all Roman positions we pass both coming and going. If you interfere, you will regret it.”

“We can’t let you resupply the remaining forts,” Chnodomar angrily declared, not nearly as intimidated as the other Alemanni. “If you try, we will kill you and your men.”

“Let me show you something,” Raben smiled as he stood and drew a knife which he promptly thrust through his hand.

Several men gasped and the eyes of all grew large.

“I am THE Demon Slayer,” Raben continued as he held out his hand so all could see the blade was thrust through his hand. “I am not a fairy tale. Watch the wound closely.” With that Raben pulled the blade from his hand licking the bloody blade clean as if savoring the taste of blood before placing it in it’s sheath. Blood freely flowed from both sides of the wound as he held the hand out so they could see.

The bleeding quickly stopped, then as they watched in disbelief they saw the wound heal. Expressions of awe, fear and amazement swept through them.

“I am the Demon Slayer,” Raben stated calmly. “My twin sister, Fiach, and I inherited the Curse. Those of us who are direct descendants of the original Demon Slayer can, if we are worthy, inherit the Curse, thus becoming Demon Slayers. The Curse allows a set of twin brother and sister direct descendants of the original Demon Slayer to become Demon Slayers. The previous Demon Slayer must test their proposed successor before God. If God approves, the Curse passes from one to the other, freeing the previous now former Demon Slayer to resume aging and eventually die. Demon Slayers are Cursed to live without aging, heal any wounds and survive any poison. Demon Slayers are also Ianuarians so we can heal as well as kill, however we have no supernatural healing abilities for others. We’re not proud of being so good at killing and we only do so when provoked. In addition, as you have seen, we can talk to animals. The eagles and ravens are my eyes and ears. The tigers and wolves my teeth and claws. Our original tribe was the Hermunduri, a mix of Celtic and Germanic so we are distant relatives. The original Demon Slayer was the founder of the Clan Corvo. The current Demon Slayers are the heads of the Clan Corvo, who are all descendants of the original Demon Slayer’s siblings or married to those descendants. The Clan Corvo numbers over 1.6 million people. At age 13 everyone, male and female, join the Clan Corvo militia and are trained as soldiers. They remain in the militia the rest of their lives. The Raven Raiders are my cousins who have been further trained in combat. We do not want to fight you, but if you force us into battle, know that we WILL destroy you, take all your possessions, and then enslave your families for your stupidity. Do not underestimate us!”

Raben spoke loud enough so all could hear. Many didn’t want to believe him but they knew the legends, they saw the wound heal, they saw him talk to and control the wild animals. They feared a confrontation.

“You know my intentions,” Raben declared. “What happens next is up to you. I sincerely hope you choose to live.” The eagle and ravens took flight and circled above him as he stood. The tigers stood and stretched their sleek feline forms, then fell in with him as he nonchalantly headed back to the Raven Raiders encampment.

The ravens watched and listened as the Alemanni discussed Raben. Knowing the cost would be prohibitively high, most refused to consider confronting Raben and the Raven Raiders. Chnodomar was apprehensive but felt his dignity was impugned and he’d lose face if they allowed Raben to do as he intended, yet without the other kings and their men, his forces were too weak to go at the Raven Raiders alone. As the sun began to set no decision had been made and the Alemanni returned to their individual camps. As they left they could plainly see they were being followed and closely watched by dozens of ravens.

In the morning the Raven Raiders once more set out on the Via Germanica passing through the abandoned ruins of Argentorate. The eagle and raven overwatch expanded to cover the rear of the column. The ravens covered from the Rhine to 10 miles to the west of the road as well as 5 miles ahead and behind. To add to the Alemanni fears of the Demon Slayer Each band of Alemanni could clearly see dozens of Ravens roosting near their camps or flying above them as they moved, clearly keeping an eye on their movements.

When the ravens spotted someone they shadowed them, and there were hundreds of watchers. Quite naturally this unnerved the spying Alemanni who had no way of evading the wily sharp eyed harbingers of death. The column moved steadily past the burned empty forts, watchtowers and towns. The Via Germanica stayed away from the river in the upper reaches because the wide untamed Rhine meandered back and forth through the often swampy muck and mire of the nearly flat 3 to 4 mile wide flood plain. The forts in this area were spread further apart than anywhere else on the Rhine defensive network. Passing through the flood plain without the benefit of roads was impossible for wagons and difficult for anyone on horseback or foot. The first day they traveled 13 miles to Brocomagus {PD Brumath}. The next three days they covered 16 miles each day stopping at burned down way stations located every 12-19 miles apart which consisted of three parts. First were the Mansiones, operated by the empire for official business and couriers, the second were Mutationes, way stations that serviced vehicles and animals, and third were the cauponae, private inns called tabernae. The next day they covered 19 miles spending the night in the ruins of Noviomagus {PD Speyer}. Then it was 11 miles to the burned out remains of Rheingonheim.

The merchants that begged their way into accompanying the Raven Raiders grew increasingly nervous with each passing mile as they saw the destruction. Their smug sense of security in the strength of the Roman Empire was crushed. Most had traveled the Via Germanica many times selling their wares at the cities, towns and villages that grew up around the Roman forts and watchtowers. Now everything was destroyed. Never had they seen such devastation. In the past the Germanic incursions had been raids, at worst destroying a watchtower or 2 while avoiding the forts then rapidly traveling deep into the interior for richer plunder and returning to their side of the Rhine before the Roman forces cold rally to stop them. This time everything had been destroyed and Rome so far failed to even attempt to push the Germans back across the border. Magnentius had stripped the border troops to support his efforts to usurp the emperorship and the settlements along the Rhine as well as the provinces of Gaul and Raetia payed the price.

The next day they traveled 16 miles to Borbetomagus {PD Worms}, then 14 miles to a way station, then 15 miles to Mogontiacum (PD Mainz}, 17 miles to Bingium {PD Bingen}, 14 miles to a way station, 13 miles Boudobriga {PD Boppard} and 12 miles Confluentes {PD Koblenz}. The fort at Confluentes was still intact and manned.

The weary troops in the fort were spooked when they saw the ravens gathering from the south. They feared another Alemanni attack. When they saw the approaching column of disciplined mounted troops they broke into cheers thinking they were finally relieved. Then they saw the front rider being escorted by 3 huge orange cats with black stripes with eagles flying high above the ravens. It was only when they were close enough to see the ravens on the banners and shields they realized thses were not the hoped for relief troops. Like everyone else they’d heard the stories of the by then legendary Raven Raiders and their leader the Demon Slayer. Obviously they were not imperial troops but hopefully they could assist them.

Raben quickly popped their hopes by informing the battle weary troops they were not being relieved. The commander and officers wanted to speak privately with Raben but he refused insisting the weary brave soldiers should hear what he had to say. Raven Raiders relieved the guards in the towers so all the troops could gather.

“Constantius defeated Magnentius last year,” Raben began. “Unfortunately between them, they suffered 54,000 casualties out of the 116,000 engaged in the bloody battle. Magnentius withdrew with what was left of his forces but the troops of Constantius were too battered to pursue. Both are hurrying to rebuild their forces for further battle so no relief will be coming until one or the other is defeated. By then there may not be enough troops left to relieve you.”

The troops had been aware of the battle but none had known the costly and bloody outcome. They now fully understood there would be no relief.

“I can resupply you,” Raben continued. “I’ll let the remaining forts know you’re still here. I’m on my way to Colonia Agrippina. When I return I’ll bring more supplies and any replacement troops that can be spared. There are 2 other options. You can destroy this fort and accompany us to Colonia Agrippina, or you can do so when I return accompanying us to Basilia. However, if you abandon the fort without orders you’ll be considered deserters and treated as such. I will say this. You have proved your mettle and I’m proud of you. I’ll provide a report of your actions not only to the capital of Galliae, Augusta Trevorum {PD Trier}, but also to Constantinople. We’ll stay for at least 3 days and man the fort giving you time to think and regroup. We’ll also repair or upgrade anything you feel needs improvement. In addition, we will escort any civilians to Colonia Agippina now or to Basilia on our return trip. The Clan Corvo has made this trip every year for over 50 years. We’ll be making this trip next year. If this stalemate continues we’ll bring you supplies.”

One of the civilians shouted. “Why don’t you drive the Alemanni back?”

“We are the Clan Corvo,” Raben explained. “The Raven Raiders are Clan troops, not imperial troops. We also serve as the militia for the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. Constantine the Great asked us to accompany his troops as he campaigned against Rome and we did so ensuring his victory at the Battle of Milvan Bridge. Our charge broke the enemy before we even engaged. We have not been asked to interfere here. The Clan Corvo is of Celtic/Germanic decent so the Alemanni are our distant cousins. We met with the Alemanni in the ruins of Argentorate. We warned them about interfering with us during this trip and so far they have heeded that warning. That is our agreement and the Clan Corvo does not break their word. Unless they attack us, we will not attack them. But rest assured if they do attack us, we will destroy them.”

“But you live in a Roman province, Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae, yet you sound as if your loyalty lies with the Clan Corvo,” the commander of the fort declared.

“There is no province Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae without the Clan Corvo,” Raben declared. “The governor, officials and administrative staff are all from the Clan Corvo. The militia is made up entirely by the Clan Corvo. The population is 99% Clan Corvo. In effect, the Clan Corvo IS the province! Since I, the Demon Slayer, an head of the Clan Corvo, I make all major decisions. I decide if we go to war or remain at peace, and I much prefer peace. That does not mean we won’t wage war, but when we do, we do not lose.”

No one could say much after that blunt statement.

The troops appreciated the break. They knew their only choice was to stay and they really appreciated the Raven Raiders repairing and fortifying their positions. Their stay stretched to 5 days as it took that long to rebuild the defenses. Most of the civilians joined the Raven Raiders column as they moved down the Via Germanica. The refreshed and re-supplied troops now had hope.

The column set off covering 11 miles to the ruins of Antunacum {PD Andernach} where they spent the night. Then they traveled 14 miles to Rigomagus {PD Remagen} which was still held by Roman troops. As they had done at Confluentes they relieved the troops for 3 days and repaired and rebuilt the defenses while restocking the beleaguered force. Some supplies and a few reinforcements had gotten through to this location but both had been meager. The damage had not been as severe since this was near the southern extent of the Alemanni attacks.

The next day they traveled the 14 miles to Bonna {PD Bonn} spending the night in the ruins of that fort, the southern most fort to fall to the Alemanni onslaught. The next day they traveled 19 miles passing a still manned watchtower just outside Colonia Agrippina {PD Cologne} before reaching the still intact fort and walled city. Raben ordered the Raven Raiders to remain outside the city keeping the road to the surviving watchtower open.

The reception of the Raven Raiders in Colonia Agrippina was one of jubilation until they learned they were not an official Roman relief column. Still they were warmly welcomed and the civilians brought in from the isolated forts accepted. The trade goods brought in were welcomed. The merchants were not pleased with Raben since he insisted they not gouge their customers. The selling prices were much higher than normal since Raben had no objection to them making a profit and obviously their expenses were higher, it’s what business men did, but Raben made sure that while the profit was above average it wasn’t outrageously so.

The crews from Barzam with the iron shipment were relieved to see Raben. Their ships crowded the Rhine. They had heard the Raven Raiders had arrived in the city coming from the north on the Via Germanica. They were quite aware the Raven Raiders were part of the Clan Corvo. The ore was off-loaded and the trade goods and 3000 people loaded.

Because of the all too frequent raids virtually every town and city in Gaul was fortified with local militia and resisted the invaders. The Franks and Alemanni could storm most but the cost versus gain made that untenable. The invaders were not fighting for the joy of fighting although they did enjoy warrior bragging rights. Their intentions were to overwhelm their victims with as little loss as possible gaining as much loot as they could get. Their booty included humans for enslavement as well as coins and jewels and other easily carried and exchangeable booty. They put the effort into taking the Rhine forts because they knew the number of Roman defenders had been cut in half and that the reserves that normally rushed to reinforce forts under attack from central locations to stop the incursion had been drawn away into the civil war. The depleted forts and nearby towns were comparatively easy pickings susceptible to siege and distance weaponry like arrows. Under the circumstances created by Magnentius, the attacking Franks and Alemanni often outnumbered the Romans ten to one. So while most of the interior towns and cities of the provinces successfully resisted, the country estates and smaller towns were easy prey for the roving bands of invaders with the citizenry fleeing to the larger fortified havens.

Upon learning that the Raven Raiders had traveled down the Via Germanica, much of Gaul revolted due to Magnentius' dictatorial rule and excessive taxation to finance his civil war. Decentius was expelled from the Diocesian capital, Augusta Treverorum. The freed city headed the revolt with the intent to remain loyal to Constantius II.

The fortified settlements recruited warriors from amongst the people who had fled to the city for safety or who had been hiding to rebuild their local military forces in hopes of stopping or at least holding the still rampaging Franks and Alemanni. The newly recruited warriors were mixed with experienced troops who would train them on the job. Some of these mixed units were sent to Colonia Agrippina to join the Raven Raider’s column as well as wagons of supplies for the isolated beleaguered forts.

Unable to rally the Alemanni to attack the Raven Raiders, Chnodomar was able to muster forces to chase the expelled Decentius. Without enough troops to stand and fight, Decentius fled. Chnodomar chased him and his loyal forces to the city of Sens, trapping them inside.

As September began, the diminished Raven Raider column with a smaller wagon train set out traveling south on the Via Germanica. Chnodomar and many warriors were quite upset by the Raven Raiders arrogant two way trip along the Via Germanica. Despite their anger, they allowed the Raven Raiders to pass unmolested even as they escorted replacement troops and supplies to the still active forts. Decentius would face their wrath. The surviving forts were thus reinforced by the troops and supplies.

Raben led his forces into the safety of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae in late September. They had not been in a single fight which made Raben quite happy. However he knew the fighting was far from over. Fortunately, many younger members of the Clan Corvo wanted to join the Raven Raiders. Preparations for next year’s trip north began.

Just before the Poeninus Mons closed for the winter Raben led two companies of Raven Raiders south. One company he installed in Mazbar to bolster the militia. The remaining company he took to Zamrab to install there. Returning in April, he traveled north from Zarbam to take command of the Raven Raiders spring 353 expedition north. Once more 3 divisions were going on the trip.

The 351 colonists had been dispersed with 5600 going to Madeira, 4966 to Sao Miguel, 4000 to Terceira and 9500 to San Jorge which met the population cap for that island. Again the Pathfinders traded out with the incoming unit going to Pico to prepare for the next year’s influx of settlers.

The 352 colonists were dispersed with 6790 to Madeira, 4966 to Sao Miguel, 4000 to Terceira, and 8500 to Pico. Again the Pathfinders swapped out with the new arrivals going to Faial to prepare that island for colonists.

The 353 colonists were dispersed with 7290 to Madeira, 4966 to Sao Miguel, 4000 to Terceira, and 8000 to Faial. Again the Pathfinders were exchanged with the new units sailing 136 miles northwest to the third and last islands, Flores and Corvo. These Islands are relatively small {55 & 17 square miles} and only 17 miles apart. The population they could support is 6000 and 1000 so the Pathfinders could prep both islands for a single influx of colonists.

The 353 Corvus Shipping Caravan had 120 wagons from Barmaz along with the 3000 emigrants as well as 200 wagons from desperate merchants who were eager to make a safe trading trip. The Raven Raiders with raven overwatch spread themselves amongst the wagons while maintaining troop integrity. Raben walked ahead with 3 tigers and 20 wolves and 50 ravens but other wise unaccompanied looking for the Alemanni.

Raben had no difficulty locating the various bases the Alemanni had set up on the west bank of the Rhine. One by one he boldly slipped into their camps without alerting their perimeter guards. The fact Raben, the tigers and the wolves were able to slip into the camps undetected quite unnerved the Alemanni. The huge tigers alone spooked the Alemanni. Raben simply explained he was a skilled silent hunter before he received the Curse, but that the Curse of the Demon Slayer enhanced his skills. In each camp he explained the Raven Raiders were escorting another Merchant wagon train. The difference this time was the Alemanni would be allowed to shop when the caravan stopped for the night.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 43: 353-356 CE: A Time to Watch, A Time to Fight

Then just as quietly as he’d arrived, Raben would slip off into the forests without a trace. After two weeks Raben had found and visited every sizeable Alemanni camp. The first camps he’d visited sent out riders to warn the other camps the Demon Slayer was about but even with additional guards and heightened awareness none spotted Raben, the tigers or the wolves. The old tale of the Demon Slayer told he’d silently killed the slaver guards and then silently slit the throats of nearly a hundred slavers. They now understood that what most had considered a fanciful tale could very well be true.

When Raben joined the wagon train he did so slipping undetected through the Raven Raider guards. That embarrassed the Raven Raiders and Raben spent time with each unit demonstrating his abilities stressing the guards had not been at fault. He was simply that good.

Needless to say the surviving forts once again welcomed the wagon train. The supplies and company were greatly needed. Many Alemanni stopped at the overnight camps to make purchases. When they reached Colonia Agrippina the city was just rebuilding. The spring iron shipment and 3000 people for Bazram were exchanged.

Meanwhile Constantius II wanted to crush the usurper with overwhelming might rather than by activity and speed. Some of his generals led legions reconquering Spain and Africa. After the Diocesian capital, Augusta Treverorum, revolted and sided with Constantius II, Magentius made his capital in Lugdunum {PD Lyon}. The Imperial fleet entered the Rhone to capture Lyons just as news arrived that the usurper's brother, Decentius, was besieged in Sens by the Alemanni under Chnodomar. With Hispania taken by Constantius II’s forces, the only direction Magnentius could flee was east back into Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. At that point Constantius II decided it was time to move against the usurper and marched west from Milan in northern Italy.

Raben had returned from his Colonia Agrippina expedition when a raven mail messages arrived. One was that Magnentius had entered Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae fleeing Lyons and another that Constantius II had entered via the Col de Montgenèvre from the east. Raben immediately sent raven mail messages calling out 3 local Raven Raider divisions to gather at the crucial crossroads town of Gap to prevent the usurper heading northeast into Raetia. With another 3 divisions Raben rode for the crossroads town.

Following Raben’s orders, the 3 Raven Raiders divisions deployed blocking Magnentius from fleeing northeast to Raetia. The usrper’s troops realized that if the Raven Raiders had taken the field in opposition to them, they had no where to go. They retreated into the mountains. When he arrived, Raben led the 6 divisions of Raven Raiders to block Magnentius into a valley at the village of La Batie-Montsaleon {GM 44.455386, 5.750582}. Two divisions guarded the area between the village of Chabestan southeast across the Torrent de Maraize to the mountain ridge. Two divisions blocked the western exit of the valley along the stream Le Petit Buech. The remaining two divisions secured the low ridge to the south. Magnentius had no way out and his troops, of whom 75% were Germans, refused to even attempt to go against the Raven Raiders.

Messengers were dispatched to Constantius II informing him of the trapped usurper. On July 3, 353, Constantius II’s forces reached the trapped the army. Raben pulled the 2 divisions off the Chabestan/Torrent de Maraize/mountain ridge line to reinforce the 2 along the stream as Constantius II’s troops lined up for battle. They held the high ground while Magnentius was trapped by the Raven Raiders with their backs to the stream. The Battle of Mons Seleucus began. The dispirited troops of the usurper crumbled before the imperial troops. Even as they were being ripped apart they refused to even attempt to flee since the only route was through the Raven Raiders. Constantius II, after another bloody day, was again victorious as the rebel troops threw down their arms. Magnentius, deserted even by his own house-hold guard and with no where to flee, committed suicide by falling on his sword.

The Raven Raiders never engaged since the rebellious forces never approached them. Constantius II was delighted with the victory and like a petulant child sought additional revenge against those who opposed him. The Emperor had heard his father speak of the Raven Raiders and their ravens and wolves. Now he saw they had added eagles and tigers to their retinue. Raben diplomatically praised the Emperor for his victory and promised to support the Emperor. Raben's efforts to stop Magnentius helped alleviate Constantius II's insipid paranoia of fearing a possible attack by the Clan Corvo.

“Sire,” Raben began as they settled into camp. “I know you want revenge against those who supported Magnentius and I fully support justified vengeance. I am aware of circumstances that most likely were never communicated to you. The vast majority of the soldiers who fought under Magnentius were ordered to his banner. They did not voluntarily fight for him. You witnessed how quickly they dropped their arms. Magnentius was the Duce of the Diocese of Gaul of which, as you know includes the Province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. When he declared himself emperor, we knew you didn’t approve and moved against him. He stripped the border defenses which allowed the Alemanni and Franks to invade the Diocese. The soldiers simply followed the orders of their superiors which were lawful.”

Constantious II grew angry. “The orders of a usurper are NOT lawful!”

“That is true,” Raben conceded. “However, while we knew you didn’t approve of his claims to the throne, I can vouch for the fact we NEVER received Imperial orders telling us not to follow the orders of Magnentius, who had the right as Duce of Gaul to give us such orders. Someone from the Imperial government failed to send orders revoking his status as Duce. Thus we were bound by our oaths to follow his orders. That is why the soldiers fought for him. That is why my Raven Raiders never engaged in the fight. Our reputation was enough to keep them from pushing the issue, but technically I was being disloyal to the LEGAL Duce of Gaul.”

Constantius thought long on that even summoning his staff to question if orders had ever been sent terminating Magnentius as Duce of Gaul. He flew into a rage when he found that Raben was speaking the truth. With his empathetic abilities, Raben was able to calm him down.

In the end Constantius II took Raben’s advise of incorporating the common soldiers and lower ranked officers to fill the depleted ranks of his forces. The upper rank officers were summarily executed. Agents were promptly dispatched to hunt down and execute all who supported Magnentius.

Decentius, when he heard of Magnentius' defeat and death, strangled himself in the besieged city of Sens on August 18, signaling the end of the civil war. Constantius II was once more the sole Emperor of the Empire.

The emperor intended leading his personal troops into Raetia in the spring to campaign against the Alemanni who had crossed the upper Danube frontier. With winter approaching, Raben invited Constantius and his army to spend the winter in the safety and relative comfort of the border walls of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. Constantuius II agreed. The Emperor and his troops were quite impressed with the massive fortifications they saw along the borders. The gate complex and adjoining walls when they’d entered at Col de Montgenèvre had impressed them. The emperor had been aware that Clan Corvo was, in effect, the province Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae and that they had absorbed the Allobroges portion of Narbonensis. He was also aware they were fortifying their borders. What he had not expected was the mile after mile of massive defensive fortifications.

The emperor was even more impressed when Raben explained that every Clan Corvo member joined the militia at age 13 and remained in the militia as long as they could do so. The militia was called to the walls whenever a potential threat appeared. When the emperor and his staff entered Barmaz they were impressed by those fortifications and the green valley beyond. The size and scope of Clan Corvo University amazed them as did the library. Raben admitted that Corvus Scriptorium made extra copies of all they copied and those copies ended up in Barmaz. The library in Champery dwarfed the once famed Library of Alexandria.

By the spring, Constantius II understood the Province was a safe haven for the Clan Corvo and that the massive fortifications were solely for defense. The entire set up of the Clan Corvo was for the prosperity of the clan. Clan Corvo University and the Corvus Scriptorium Library demonstrated the intellectual bent of the Clan Corvo.

The most important thing that occurred that winter was that Raben succeeded in convincing Constantius II to grant Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae to expand to incorporate the Port of Zarbam into the province by issuing an Imperial Decree to that effect.

The area annexed starting just northwest of Meyreuil {GM 43.487832, 5.491684} heading south to pick up route D6 southwest picking up route A7 the south on route A55 to just west of Jas de Rhodes then heading south over the ridge to the high point {GM 43.380659, 5.303630} east of La Nerthe then southwest to the Pointe de Corbiere on the shore of the Mediterranean Sea. The boundary follows the shore west to the coast at the Anse de (bay of) Saint Gervais to just beyond the village of Fos-sur-Mer. From there the boundary heads northwest {following PD N568 to D24 following that around Saint-Martin-de-Crau and Mouries to east of Eygalieres picking up D24B east to the 100M ASL then northeast west of Orgon to the Durance}

In the spring of 354 Raben led 3 divisions of Raven Raiders north along the Rhine while Constantius II led his refreshed troops into Raetia where he succeeded in driving the Alemanni out, binding by their oaths the kings of the southern Alemannia with a treaty of alliance. Constantius II then headed down the Danube to quell incursions by the Goths in the region of Dacia.

Only able to spare 13,000 men for reconquering Gaul, half its previous strength, the Frankish-born general Silvanus was appointed its military commander. Silvanus made considerable progress by negotiating with the Franks in restoring the situation in northern Gaul. However, in 355, facing false accusations in the imperial court, at Colonia Agrippina Silvanus proclaimed himself emperor leading his men in a rebellion against Constantius II.

Constantius II, already deeply involved in a mess with his cousin Gallus whom he had summoned back from the east because of imperial intrigues, dispatched a crack group of imperial staff-officers to negotiate a settlement. To prevent a wider mutiny they murdered Silvanus. Constantius II was angered by the turmoil and ordered Gallus executed, then days later repented and withdrew the order but Gallus had already been killed. The shaken emperor decided that he needed a member of his own imperial dynasty to share the burdens of governing the empire so he appointed his cousin Julian to replace Silvanus, a difficult decision for a paranoid ruler who regarded all his relatives with intense suspicion and had already put to death 2 of his uncles and 7 cousins, including Julian's half-brother Gallus. The appointment, though greeted with enthusiasm by the troops, was questionable since Julian was 23 years old with no military experience having spent his time studying philosophy at Athens. But Constantius II’s own family purges left him little choice since Julian was his sole surviving adult male close relative. At the same time Constantius II was fed up with the Bishop of Rome, Liberius. He had the Liberius arrested and imprisoned in Thrace. Archdeacon Felix was appointed as Bishop of Rome.

Raben continued leading 3 divisions of Raven Raiders up and down the Rhine as a show of force against the Alemanni while transferring the 3000 people north and retrieving the iron shipments. Realizing the fragility of the empire he started making plans for the iron/people exchange to be conducted around the European coast to Zarbam. Raben himself kept infiltrating any Alemanni camps that seemed poised to attack the remaining Rhine forts thus discouraging them. Raben made no effort to curtail Alemanni raids into Gaul.

A month after Silvanus died, a large force of Franks appeared attacking and laying siege to Colonia Agrippina. The Raven Raiders were almost at Basilia returning for the season when they learned of the attack. Raben immediately turned the 3 divisions around ordering them north post haste. Raben set out on foot knowing he could travel faster over distances than a horse. At forced march the Raven Raiders could cover 70 miles a day covering the distance in 4 1/4 days. On foot Raben could cover 90 miles a day covering the distance in 3 1/3 days. Since they turned around at midday, Raben made the trip in 3 days with the Raven Riders arriving a day later.

As soon as night fell Raben silently entered the Frank camp, awakening the Frank commander with a knife pressing against his throat producing just a trace of blood. Needless to say Raben promptly had his attention. After agreeing not to yell, Raben released him. “I am the Demon Slayer. I could have killed you and the other leaders. I understand you want to take Colonia Agrippina for what happened to Silvanus. He brought it on himself by declaring himself emperor. But as I told the Alemanni, I don’t want to get involved in your disputes with Rome. I simply want to conduct my Clan Corvo business. It makes no difference to me if I trade with Romans, Alemanni, or Franks as long as the deals are fair to those involved. You have attacked Colonia Agrippina suffering heavy losses. In the morning we can parley with the other chiefs. Oh, by the way, my Raven Raiders will arrive the day after tomorrow.” With that Raben slipped out of the tent.

The Frank chief promptly raised the alarm. His personal guards rushed inside the tent. They had seen nor heard anything despite less than five second difference from Raben’s exit to their entrance. Upon seeing the line of blood on the leader’s neck the guards and other roused Frank leaders realized the Demon Slayer had indeed slipped in and out unseen. Needless to say the Franks were spooked. They had dismissed the Alemanni tales of encountering the Demon Slayer and had heard the legendary disciplined Raven Raiders were crack fighters.

Just after sunrise Raben seemed to appear out of nowhere by the Frank council fire having used his empathetic abilities to distract the guards to slip through the camp unnoticed. “You can take the Roman Fort but you will pay heavily. I can help you take possession of the fort without further casualties. If you’re interested we can discuss details. If you’re not interested, attack me now. Talk it over for a few minutes.” Raben walked away to wait.

Most of the older wiser men wanted to talk. Most of the younger men wanted to fight, especially against the insignificant youth claiming to be the so called Demon Slayer. No consensus could be reached.

After half an hour Raben returned. “I assume some of you want to negotiate while a lot of the younger warriors want to take on the Demon Slayer because I don’t look imposing. So, how about we let the hotheads fight me. Choose one hundred of your best to attack me in plain view of your forces and the Romans manning the walls of their fort. After I kill them, we can still sit down and bargain.” Raben walked to the spot he wanted to fight.

The calm manner in which Raben suggested they choose their best hundred to fight him unsettled many Franks. Either the unimposing youth was insane or he really was the legendary Demon Slayer. There was absolutely no fear nor doubt in Raben that he could take the hundred. Still the hot heads wanted the chance to fight. It took another half hour to select the strongest and fastest warriors who were willing to face the diminutive Demon Slayer.

The walls of the fort were lined with soldiers and civilians as a mass of Franks surrounded the chosen hundred. Raben smiled as he drew his sword and a knife. “I expect no quarter from you and I will give no quarter. This is a fight to the death. A hundred fools versus the Demon Slayer. The odds are heavily in my favor! If you want to say a prayer to your God do so now before I kill you.”

The battered weary Romans eagerly watched the proceedings from their nearby battlements. Raben’s audacious speech did as he wanted. His certainty of victory unnerved the Franks as well as angered them. With hideous battle cries they charged. Raben tilted his head back and howled like a wolf, then met their charge.

For the first few moments large men, strong warriors accustomed to hewing their way through Romans faced Raben one on one only to be felled when the nimble Demon Slayer deflected their mighty slashes to find themselves bleeding out from severed arms, or legs or femoral arteries or slit throats or simply gutted. After the first dozen fell in single combat, the rest swarmed in. Once more Raben’s short stature was subsumed by the jostling mass. Cries of pain and death rattles were audible above the clamor of shouts, agonized groans, jingle of mail, and bashing shields, weapons and helms. The ferocious fight moved about the flat area leaving a trail of dead and dying Franks as the scrum shrank. After 5 minutes a short laughing blood soaked gory Demon burst from the much diminished scrum. The battered warriors knew fear as they hesitated when they looked at the gore covered hideously laughing small Demon Slayer.

Even those watching from the walls of the fort felt fear as they beheld the gore spackled laughing Demon Slayer.

With another wolf howl, Raben charged back to the men. This time instead of jumping amongst them he danced around their perimeter, deflecting thrusts and blows while darting thrusts made precise slices and stabs dropping men. Twice he made his way around the mass of milling men killing those he attacked. Then he stepped back, laughing maniacally as he ran towards them leaping into the air over their heads dropping down inside them once more.

As the trail of dead and dying men grew, the scrum diminished enough that glimpses of Raben bobbing and weaving amongst the men dervish could be seen. After another five minutes there were only ten men left. They were clearly terrified and exhausted from 10 minutes of hard fighting. Covered from head to toe with blood and gore Raben was still maniacally laughing as he met them in one to one combat. The end was not long in coming leaving Raben the lone man standing amongst 100 dead.

Raben tilted his head back and howled like a wolf before speaking. “I AM THE DEMON SLAYER! NONE CAN STAND AGAINST ME! These men were fools but they died bravely. Remove the dead while I wash off their gore. Then we’ll talk. Also, if you have it, I’d like a cask of mead. All that killing has given me quite a thirst.” Raben jumped in the Rhine and began scrubbing himself, taking his time to allow himself to heal. Then he swam back to shore.

The Romans and Franks were gobsmacked. Neither side had ever seen one man leave such carnage, mush less one as small as Raben. To a man they understood Raben truly was the legendary Demon Slayer. Just the thought of going up against him made them shiver in fear and dread.

Upon emerging from the water everyone could clearly see Raben’s clothes were shredded from the numerous blows that clearly struck him. Yet there was no sign of a cut on him. A fearful Frank servant handed him a cask of mead. Cracking open the cask, Raben proceeded to drink the entire contents, nearly a gallon. The drink would easily replenish his depleted energy. Drinking it so quickly should also put a grown man under the table. Yet as the day wore on, the alcohol had no effect.

As he sat down with the Franks, they were eager to listen to his words. Raben offered to negotiate a turn over of Colonia Agrippina without further bloodshed. In exchange for their lives, the citizens and soldiers would lay down their arms and leave with only the clothes they were wearing. Raben and the Raven Raiders would escort them 37 miles to Aquae Grani {PD Aachen}. The Franks could search them for jewels, coins and weapons allowing them to gain the plunder without further loss of life on either side. The only thing would be a delay until the Raven Raiders arrived the next day. Raben addressed the Frank’s concerns that he was setting up a trap by declaring that he was giving them the word of the Demon Slayer. It was well known that the Demon Slayer never broke his word and never lied. As a result, the Franks agreed.

When Raben went inside the fort, the Romans of Colonia Agrippina were less than happy with Raben’s offer. However they understood that Raben would not otherwise come to their aid. If they refused the offer they would eventually be overwhelmed, dying in battle or being enslaved if captured. Reluctantly they surrendered to Raben after he assured them he’d explain the circumstances to the Duce of Gaul and take responsibility for negotiating their withdrawal and abandonment of Colonia Agrippina. The deal was done.

Meanwhile, as a personal cavalry escort, Constantius provided Julian with a regiment of heavily armored cavalry and some mounted archers totaling 360 men. En route to Gaul from Milan, Julian received the calamitous news that Colonia Agrippina, Rome's most important city and military fortress on the Rhine, had fallen to the Franks who were upset with the murder of their tribesman Silvanus. Julian spent the winter of 355/356 with his escorting troops south of Lugdunum {PD Lyons}.

Raben left Aquae Grani to warn the Franks that if Julian approached, he would have no choice but to aid the young cousin of Constantius II since he had promised to aid Constantius II in regaining the borders when he’d regained Raetia two years before. The Franks wisely abandoned the fort and fled back across to their side of the Rhine. Raben sent a raven mail to Bazram to make the spring 356 iron shipment to Colonia Agrippina.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 44: 356-361 CE: The Raven Raiders Fight

For the 356 campaigning season, Julian linked up with the main body of the Gaul militia which involved a long march through country swarming with Alemanni raiding bands. Julian surprised and drove off a large Alemanni force that had surrounded Augustodunum {PD Autun} and defeated a raiding band in the wilderness. At Reims, Julian showed his boldness by deciding to deal with the Alemanni problem at the source by marching straight to Alsace and restoring Roman control of the Rhine. On the way his troops were ambushed. Nearly a quarter of his forces were destroyed by a large band of Alemanni but neither side emerged victorious. At Brotomagus {PD Brumath} in Alsace, Julian's forces routed another Alemanni band. After assessing the situation in Alsace, Julian decided that his force was insufficient to prevail over the Alemanni alone. Instead, he set out to recover Colonia Agrippina, leading his army via Augusta Trevorum to Roman-held Koblenz and then down the Rhine.

Raben and the Raven Raiders escorted the regular Corvus Shipping Caravan along the Via Germanica. They linked with Julian and jointly entered the plundered Colonia Agrippina unopposed, Julian's men were set to work to rebuild the city walls. Raben explained how he’d saved the soldiers and citizens and kept them alive when the Franks attacked. Julian wasn’t happy but Constantius II had told Julian that Raben was wise and did his best to avoid bloodshed which was a positive thing. The story of Raben, the Demon Slayer, taking on a hundred Franks by himself had swept through Gaul, the Franks the Alemanni and the Romans. The people who had fled the river port/fort under the protection of the Raven Raiders returned. Together with the Raven Raiders the townspeople and soldiers set to work rebuilding the fort and city.

With Raben at his side, Julian concluded a peace treaty with the Franks which removed half the opposition in Gaul allowing Julian to focus his resources on dealing with the Alemanni. By this time Raben and the Raven raiders were virtually committed to assisting Julian.

As the 357 campaign season approached, a plan was created by Constantius II's staff to trap the Alemanni in eastern Gaul in a pincer movement. Julian would advance eastward from Reims where he’d wintered, while 25,000 of Constantius' troops in Italy were despatched under general Barbatio to Augusta Rauracorum {PD Augst, 5 miles east of Basel, Switzerland} in Raetia, from which he was to advance northward to meet Julian. The Alemanni bands would thus be cornered and destroyed in the southern part of Germania Prime {PD Alsace}. Ignoring the Roman threat large bands of Alemanni, swept south west through the Jura Mountains to invade and ravage the rich lower Rhone valley. They almost turned back when they saw the massive defensive walls that made up the south eastern shore of the River. They learned the land on that side of the river was the Province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae the home of the Demon Slayer, the Raven Raiders and the Clan Corvo. The fact there were hundreds of armed men atop the walls disabused any ideas they had about attempting to breach the formidable fortifications. They didn’t know many of those manning the wall were called up mitiltia or that half of them were women. They just knew they wouldn’t try to mess with the Clan Corvo. The raiders moved down the northwestern shore of the Rhone trying to take the city of Lugdunum {PD Lyon} by assault.

The attack was repulsed but vast amounts of booty were taken from the unprotected never before plundered Roman estates, villas, and villages. However, the Alemanni were trapped in the interior of Gaul, as their return routes to the Rhine were barred by the Roman armies. In Julian's sector squadrons of cavalry ambushed and destroyed several smaller returning Alemanni bands. But in Barbatio's sector, the main body of Germans were allowed to pass unmolested: Barbatio rejected the urgent plea of two of his cavalry commanders to deploy their squadrons on a highway that they expected the enemy would use. The escaping force reached some islands in the Rhine near Strasbourg where the raiding-bands had moved their camps for safety in response to the Roman pincer movement. Nevertheless, Julian pursued them vigorously. Although without boats, his men succeeded in reaching one island, as the river had become fordable due to summer drought. An entire raiding-band was surprised and slaughtered. The Alemanni evacuated the remaining islands, removing their sutlers, baggage and booty to the far side of the Rhine.

Constantius II, who was visiting Rome, came under great pressure from the Catholic priests and laity who hated the anti-Bishop of Rome Felix whom he had appointed. After two years of exile, Liberius returned to resume working as the Bishop of Rome. Constantius had hoped the two could be co-bishops but the people stubbornly refused forcing Felix to flee.

Julian began rebuilding the fortress at Tres Tabernae {PD Saverne}, which was astride the Mediomatrici {PD Metz} - Strasbourg Roman highway at the mouth of the main entry through the Vosges mountains into northern Alsace, a location with commanding heights overlooking the Rhine valley.

Near Strasbourg, the vanguard of Barbatio's army was ambushed by a strong Alemanni force. The Romans fled in disarray and instead of engaging, Barbatio led the rest of his force in a hasty retreat, under close pursuit by the Alemanni. Barbatio led his forces out of Alsace and a good way into Raetia losing most of his sutlers, pack-animals and baggage which could not keep up with his rapid retreat. Then Barbatio withdrew his army from the theatre of operations altogether, sending his forces across the Alps into winter-quarters in Italy despite it being the middle of the campaigning season. This reduced Roman forces in Alsace by two-thirds sabotaging the pincer strategy.

Chnodomar, as arrogant as ever, could not ignore Julian's re-fortification of Saverne, since it threatened his control of Alsace and blocked his main access route into the interior of Gaul. He had come to see this region as Alemanni territory by right of conquest after occupying it for several years also claiming to possess letters from Constantius II granting the Alemanni the right to occupy those lands. Chnodomar had been surprised and dismayed by Julian's successful campaigns. But encouraged by his own success against Barbatio he felt invincible. Having driven two Roman generals from the field, Chnodomar had lost the barbarians' traditional fear of pitched battles with the Romans. The Alemanni kings ordered a mass mobilization of all the confederation's member tribes, gathering their bands at Strasbourg. They received support of the Alemanni mini-states near Raetia that had been pacified by Constantius in 355. Their leaders were overthrown in an anti-Roman coup and they summoned the assistance of the Burgundians, another Germanic tribe, as mercenaries. At Strasbourg on the Rhine they gathered a combined force of some 35,000 men. Their aim was to bring Julian to battle and crush him by sheer weight of numbers. They provoked Julian by sending him an ultimatum to evacuate Alsace immediately.

Raben was in Colonia Aggripina due to the spring iron/people transfer. Raben’s raven spies had reported Barbatio’s retreat and the concentrating Alemanni. Realizing the danger, Raben pulled together his 3 Raven Raider divisions, 20,358 men, 8373 ravens, 3 tigers, 27 eagles, 243 wolves and 27 artillery squads. They rode hard south along the Via Germanica from Colonia Aggripina to intercept the Alemanni in case Julian decided to attack them.

Julian was now faced with a dilemma. The safer option was to ignore Chnodomar's challenge and to keep his forces in their fortified bases, then request and await reinforcements, if necessary until the following year's campaign season. But the performance of Barbatio and the imperial forces in the recent campaign cast doubt on whether such reinforcements would be supplied. Retreating would also expose Gaul to another massive Alemanni invasion just when the harvests was due. Julian’s troops wanted instant action, combat at this juncture offered the prospect of a decisive victory, since the Alemanni forces were for once concentrated and not divided into many bands. The Romans almost always won pitched battles with barbarians, but in this case it was clearly a high-risk option because of the Alemanni 3-1 manpower advantage. Julian, with only 11,500 troops, decided to confront the Alemanni.

Julian's army set forth at dawn, arriving within sight of the barbarian entrenchments outside Strasbourg at around midday. Julian wanted to build a fortified camp and attack the next day so the men could rest after their six hour march but his officers and men would have none of it and clamored to be led against the enemy immediately.

Chnodomar, alerted that the Roman army was at hand, moved his army forward to his chosen battlefield nearby. The battlefield was a gently-sloping hill a few miles from the Rhine. The western edge of the battle field was defined by the Metz-Strasbourg Roman highway, on the far side of which was broken, wooded ground impassable to cavalry. The Alemanni were waiting for the Romans on the crest of the hill. The Alemanni left wing was held by Chnodomar and his cavalry. The rest of the line was divided into units under other Alemanni kings. Julian drew up his infantry in two lines, widely spaced apart, each several ranks deep. Julian himself, with his mounted personal escort, took up position in the space between the Roman lines, giving him a close, but relatively protected, view of the action. Julian's best hope for a quick victory lay in a cavalry breakthrough. Failing a cavalry breakthrough, Julian would have to rely on a struggle of attrition on foot, in which superior Roman armor, training and formation discipline almost inevitably prevailed.

The Battle of Argentoratum in 357 began with the Roman heavy cavalry charging the Alemanni horsemen. Chnodomar had hidden and interspersed foot warriors amongst his cavalry who killed the Roman horses leaving the heavily armored troops at the mercy of the more maneuverable Alemanni. The surviving Roman heavy cavalry panicked and fled the field. Bogged down by the infantry amongst them as well as the dead Roman cavalry and horses the Alemanni cavalry was unable to capitalize on their success. Encouraged by their cavalry's success, the Alemanni foot soldiers gave a great roar and ran towards the Romans. Alemanni warriors repeatedly charged the Roman shield wall, hoping to break through by sheer weight of numbers and brute strength. The Roman held them off for a long time, inflicting severe casualties on the Alemanni who flung themselves recklessly at their bristling spears. Then, a group of Alemanni kings and their best warriors punched a hole through the center of the Roman front line. Despite being cut in two, the Roman front line did not collapse, managing to shorten their lines and curve to hem the breakthrough. A large number of Alemanni poured through the breach in the Roman frontline and charged the centre of the Roman rear line which stopped the Alemanni attack in its tracks and then counterattacked linking with the battered frontline. The battle raged back and forth with the Romans slowly being forced back. At this point the Romans had little hope for victory but continued their disciplined fight hoping to hold on until darkness ended the battle. The Alemanni were just as determined to crush the Romans before dark. An hour before the sun was about to sink into the trees the Alemanni launched a final crushing attack.

Suddenly from the trees alongside the battlefield the skirmishers and hidden reserves of the Alemanni erupted in absolute panic into the rear of their own left flank. They had been driven out of the protection of the trees by Raben accompanied by the wolves, tigers, eagles, and ravens of the Raven Raiders. At the same time, the mounted soldiers of the Raven Raiders thundered up the Via Germanica turning to charge along the Metz-Stasburg road spreading into 9 sets of brigade sized dual lines successively slamming into the right rear of the Alemanni. The front line of each brigade advanced with lances while the second line had their bows at the ready. Any Alemanni attempting to attack the lancers were cut down by arrows. The 27 sections of Raven Raider artillery deployed along the Rhine effectively cutting off all hope of an organized Alemanni retreat

The unexpected dual onslaught caught the Alemanni flat footed, trapped between the stubborn Roman soldiers to their front and the rampaging Raven Raiders to their rear. Seeing the Demon Slayer leading the tigers, wolves, eagles and ravens attacking from the tree line caused absolute terror and panic. The warriors, already weary from the heavy battle, tried to flee only to run into the lances and swords of the mounted Raven Raiders on the other side. All discipline amongst the Alemanni disintegrated.

The mass of their army was now trapped in front by the Roman lines and the unyielding vice of the Raven Raiders and their animals. The wolves and tigers vented long pent up savagery in the bloodbath as the eagles and ravens raked faces with their claws and plucked living eyeballs from screaming heads. The Alemanni were being methodically cut down with the ones in the middle packed tightly together and unable to move as the Raven Raider archers poured arrows into their jammed ranks. They were packed so tightly the dead couldn’t fall to the ground. After more relentless pressure from the Romans and Raven Raiders the Alemanni lines collapsed as utter panic spread through their ranks. They broke formation and ran helter skelter for their lives. Many did not run fast enough pursued all the way to the Rhine by Roman infantry and the Raven Raiders, cutting them down as they ran. Those that fled into the cover of the forest were pursued by the Tigers, wolves, eagles and ravens working together. Of the 2000 Alemanni who entered the thick forest, none emerged. Large numbers attempted to swim across the river, but many drowned, hit by Roman and Raven Raider arrows and artillery or simply weighed down by their armor. Nearly 20,000 Almanni died that bloody day. Thousands more were captured.

Chnodomar and his retinue tried to escape on horseback, hoping to reach some boats prepared for just such an emergency near the ruined Roman fort of Concordia {PD Lauterbourg} 24 miles downstream from Strasbourg. The Raven Raiders easily cornered and captured them, delivering them to Julian. Like many bullies, once defeated and caught red handed Chnodomar begged for mercy. Julian sent him in chains to the court of Constantius II where he died a few months later in a camp for barbarian prisoners.

The battle was the first open field combat for the Raven Raiders. They had been at the Battle of Milvan Bridge but the opposition broke and fled before first contact. They had fought the Goths during their Quest for Aurochs and Tarpans but did so using arrows. The savage Battle of Argentoratum was the bloodying of the Raven Raiders. It was the first time they fought face to face with and enemy. The intense training regimen Raben had established paid off. The Alemanni melted before their lances, swords and arrows. The Raven Raiders suffered 67 wounded and 14 killed, their first combat deaths. Raben's personal body count was only 79 since the Alemanni fled in terror from the Demon Slayer.

Needless to say Julian was quite grateful to Raben and the Raven Raiders and offered a reward of Raben’s choosing. Before asking, however, Raben questioned Barbatio’s action, wondering if perhaps his behavior might have been instigated by a paranoid Constantius II in an effort to eliminate his last adult blood male relative.

Julian realized it seemed unlikely that the general would have risked breaking off operations unless confident of the emperor's approval. Before Julian could decide, his troops acclaimed him as co-emperor. Still unsure, and with Raben’s advice he vehemently refused the title, which could only legally be bestowed by the ruling Constantius II. Given the emperor’s murderous attitude against potential contenders, Julian's caution is understandable although it bought him no credit with Constantius II. Raben then told Julian he’d hold off requesting his reward for services rendered until such time as Julian became at least a co-emperor.

The immediate aftermath of the battle saw a vigorous "ethnic cleansing" campaign. Alemanni families who had settled in Alsace on stolen land were rounded up and expelled from imperial territory. The battle was the turning point in Julian's effort to restore the Rhine frontier. Until this battle, Julian was obliged to campaign largely inside Gaul, with the barbarian bands holding the initiative, playing cat-and-mouse with his forces and causing enormous economic damage to a vital region of the empire. Julian followed up the battle by an incursion into Alemanni territory beyond the Rhine. Now Julian was able to take the war to the enemy, each year invading the lands beyond the Rhine, devastating them and terrorizing the tribes into accepting tributary status while making serious progress in repairing Rome's shattered line of forts.

Raben had Raven Raiders performing roving patrols up and down the Via Germanica rounding up smaller bands of Alemanni raiders. Upon his return to Barmaz he requested Raven Raider volunteers to create 2 battalions of Raven Raiders less the eagles but with their families, 1 to settle in Madeira, the other to the Azores to split up into troops with 1 troop settling on each of the nine islands on permanent placement. In early spring they would head down to Zarbam where the Madeira/Azores fleet would pick them up. Raben headed south to Mazbar before the snows closed Poeninus Mons. After checking out Mazbar, Raben headed to Zamrab for 2 weeks before moving on to Marzab on the island outside of Constantinople to visit the newest office of Corvus Scriptorium. There he reviewed scriptorium to make sure their primary effort of preserving writings was continuing unabated.

While Raben had been swept up in the crisis on the Rhine, the colonists continued flowing unchecked into Madeira and the Azores. As needed the 360 ton elephant and chimpanzee caravel moved from colony to colony over the years. In 354 the colonial fleets delivered 8256 colonists to Madeira. The Azores took 5000 colonists to Sao Miguel, 4000 to Terceira, 6000 to Flores and 1000 to Corvo. Those settling on Flores and Corvo capped the populations of both islands. Since all the islands were now inhabited the Pathfinders withdrew to reconsolidate.

In 355 the colonial fleets delivered 6896 colonists to Madeira. The Azores took 5000 colonists to Sao Miguel, 4000 to Terceira and 8500 to Pico. Those settling on Pico capped it's population. In 356 the colonial fleets delivered 7556 colonists to Madeira. The Azores took 5000 colonists to Sao Miguel, 4000 to Terceira and 8000 to Faial. Those settling on Faial capped it's population. In 357 the colonial fleets delivered 6726 colonists to Madeira. The Azores took 9000 colonists to Sao Miguel and 9000 to Terceira. In March 358 Raben returned to Zarbam to meet the spring Madeira/Azores supply and colonial fleet. The voyage went smoothly. The dispersal of Colonists for 358 was the same as the previous year. Raben traveled to the Azores to visit each colony and to set up the raven mail stations between the islands as well as settling in the Raven Raiders detachments. The colonies were thriving and growing.

The Azores and Madeira were rapidly approaching their population cap. In 6 years they’d be filled. When he returned to Zarbam he organized a 20 vessel fleet of 180 ton ships with 2400 pathfinders. They would sail south of Madeira to find another set of islands that his readings, especially the Phoenicians and their successors the Carthaginians, had indicated were inhabited. Madeira and Azores had no native populations, so this would be a new situation for the expansion of the Clan Corvo. A native population raised questions of morality.

The exploratory fleet sailed for Madeira in August 358, after topping off their water they sailed due south with ravens scouting ahead. Early in the morning on the second day the ravens began returning. They found 2 clusters of small islands 184 miles slightly southeast of Madeira. Raben split the fleet to explore the 2 clusters spending another day doing so. The islands were small, rocky and virtually treeless with no streams. They named the group the Savage Islands, the 2 largest islands Big Savage and Little Savage. Big was 0.8 miles wide and 1 mile long. Little was 0.3 miles wide and 0.5 miles long. There was no way the island could be self sufficient so Raben decided to set up a 25 man Pathfinder unit with a clinker ship to serve as a way station and Raven Mail Roost.

The next day they continued south for 120 miles finding the archipelago they’d been searching for. They named the Archipelago the Canary Islands. The ravens reported the islands were populated so Raben kept the fleet together heading to the northwestern most island.

They sailed around the teardrop shaped island that was 29 miles long and 17 miles wide. In the middle of the east side they saw an old volcanic caldera right on the shore. It was about 3000 feet in diameter with 1/3 of the rim eroded into the sea. They saw a small village with several canoes on the sandy beach. There were dozens of people along the shore watching them. Several of the men held spears and war clubs. It was getting late in the day so Raben took a dozen Pathfinders in a small boat to row ashore.

More people appeared, many armed, as the boat touched the sandy shore. Raben stepped out with his weapons sheathed and hands held out to show he held no weapons. Once he was ashore the boat rowed back to the ship. The natives began talking amongst themselves as they discussed what to do.

“We come in peace,” Raben declared in their language after a few moments of listening. “Like you, we have weapons to defend ourselves, but we much prefer discussion and negotiations to settle any disputes.”

“You speak our language!” One of the men who appeared to be a leader said. “How did you learn it? Why have you come?”

“I have a gift from God that allows me to learn a language just by listening to it,” Raben explained. “We came because our Clan is growing and we need more land. We’ve settled 2 island groups to the north, we came here to do the same. We do not want to fight you for the land. We’d like for you to join our Clan so our peoples can become one.”

“We have no land to spare,” the leader declared. “We have our own clans and don’t need yours. Your leaders insult us by sending a child!”

“I am the head of the Clan Corvo and therefore I am the leader,” Raben explained knowing they had no concept of large numbers. “There are as many people in my clan as stars in the sky. We have ways of farming and herding and fishing that enable the land to support many more people. We have medical expertise that will keep people healthy. All we have we offer to you. Just look at our ships. They are much larger than your canoes, travel further and safer, and can carry many people and goods. I assume you have already dispatched runners to summon your peoples to defend against our aggression. When they arrive we will parley. I estimate it’ll take three days for them all to arrive. I’ll send my men back to the ships but stay with you so we may talk and learn from each other. Most of my ships will sail on to explore more islands as we wait. Let me summon my messengers.”

Raben cupped his hands and began krocking. At least 5 ravens immediately took off from every ship winging toward Raben. The eyes of the natives grew wide as they saw the raucously krocking ravens swarm overhead then land on the beach around Raben. One landed on each shoulder.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 45: 361-362 CE: The End of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae

"Not only do I learn human languages, I can speak with all animals," Raben explained. "I use ravens as my eyes, I can see what they see, I can hear what they hear. They scout for us. In return we see they are fed and sheltered and we attend to any wounds they might suffer."

Needless to say the natives were quite unnerved by what Raben told them but the ravens did seem to be talking to him. Raben stayed ashore that night. The next morning all but 1 ship set out to scout the other islands. The natives were amazed as Raben answered their every question and they answered most of his. Each day more natives arrived until by the end of the third day they had a representative from every village present.

The next day Raben again explained his purpose in wanting to move some of his clan members to their island and the entire archipelago. They watched in amazement as he wrote notes, tucked them in a pouch, and sent a raven to the ship. Whenever he requested something. the rowboat brought it to shore. He showed them books, a steel ax, knives, swords and other things foreign to the virtually stone age people.

“You need to know one thing about me,” Raben said. “I am 197 years old. I am cursed to live without aging or dying. Any wound I suffer will heal. If you kill me I will heal and return to life. Any poison I ingest will not harm me. In battle I am invincible.”

That certainly created mumbling amongst the natives. They clearly didn’t believe him.

Raben smiled. “I know several of you want to kill me. Who amongst you would like to try?”

One of the elders spoke. “Is this some sort of trick so you have an excuse to attack us?”

“Not at all,” Raben smiled then looked directly at one man. “You want to kill me. I’ll lay down all my weapons and strip to a loin cloth. Then you can strike me with your war club.”

That certainly caused a mumbling. It took a few moments for Raben to convince them he was quite serious. Finally the man charged Raben who didn’t flinch and smiled at his assailant. The man raised his war club over his head and smashed it down on the top of Raben’s head. The sickening CRUNCH of his shattering skull and the squelching of his brain. As his body crumbled to the sand pulped brain oozed from the severely dented shattered skull. No one doubted a fatal blow had been struck.

Many of the islanders feared the people on the ships would attack but they simply stood along the rails and watched. They began to wonder if the intelligent youth had been crazy. After fifteen minutes one of the women screamed and pointed at Raben’s body. They quickly noticed what had caused her to scream. The horrific fatal wound was healing!

The people crowded around in fear and amazement as they saw the pulped brain and blood gel and creep back into the wound as the exposed pieces of bone began knitting together reforming their original shape. Dozens of mouths dropped open in shock, disbelieving what they were seeing.

Suddenly Raben’s body shuddered and they clearly heard him draw a breath. Nearly everyone gasped.

After several deep breaths Raben opened his eyes and pushed himself into a sitting position. Slowly he smiled then peered around at the stunned faces. “Now that’s what I call a headache,” he spoke as he gingerly reached up to touch the healing wound across his forehead where the blow had been the deepest. Slowly he stood, wavering a bit as he regained his balance.

“The headache is fading,” Raben sighed as he stepped into the center of the stunned group. “Now, watch as the wound completely heals.”

The murmurs grew in volume as they watched the flesh begin to knit itself back together. Within an hour, other than the dried blood, there was no evidence of the wound.

“Let me rinse off in the ocean,” Raben said as he dashed to the shore and dove in. After swimming about he came back clearly refreshed. “One more thing, will someone take that big bowl and fill it with seawater. After bleeding so much I need the liquid to replace that which I lost.”

“Drinking that much seawater will kill you,” one elder declared.

“It would kill most men,” Raben acknowledged. “But I can’t be poisoned. My body will filter the salt out leaving only water.”

The natives watched in disbelief as Raben drank all the water form the large bowl. Then he did some stretches showing there were no ill effects.

“With my curse I am known as the Demon Slayer,” Raben explained. “This was the second time I’ve died. I am a trained healer but I am also a hunter and a warrior. I do not like killing but I am extremely good at doing so. A few years ago I faced a situation where I had no choice but to challenge 100 warriors to personal combat with no quarter given. I fought them all at once. They lie buried near where we fought while I still stand. I want you to join my clan, the Clan Corvo. I want to learn as much as I can from you. I want to record your stories in books so generation after generation might know them. I want you to know my story, I want us to grow together to become one people.”

Raben called a Raven to send a message to the ship. As they watched people filled a rowboat and came ashore. Raben had 8 men come ashore to act as hostages while he escorted 8 natives out to see the huge canoe. The rest of the natives came out to visit the ship in turns. They were simply amazed by all they saw.

Raben used his ability to sense moods and emotions to his advantage as he steadily convinced the 2500 natives living on the island to allow the Clan Corvo Pathfinders remain to demonstrate the advantages of planting diverse crops as well as methods of water storage and distribution and building houses and barns. With 4 ships and all 2400 Pathfinders remaining on the island, they could easily defend themselves if things went sideways.

Raben began teaching the natives the Clan Corvo language as he taught the 120 Pathfinders from the ship the native language. While doing so he wrote a lexicon of the native tongue. By the time the fleet returned they had charted the archipelago.

The Canary Islands Archipelago made up of 7 large islands, 1 of which had a small adjacent island that could support a small population. The islands were 320 miles south of Madeira. From the northeast to south west the islands started with the small island adjacent to a larger one. La Graciosa {GM 29.245134, -13.509265} was an arid oval 2.5 miles by 5 miles yielding 11 square miles. Lanzarote {GM 29.019408, -13.642165} was the larger neighboring island 2/3 of a mile southeast of La Graciosa, 86 miles from Africa, 685 miles from Gibraltar. The arid fish shaped island was 37 miles by 16 miles yielding 326 square miles. Fuerteventura {GM 28.302445, -14.102390} was 47 miles southwest of Lanzerote, 70 miles from Africa. The arid fish shaped island was 62 miles by 19 miles yielding 641 square miles. Gran Canaria {GM 27.942134, -15.662729} was 94 miles southwest of Fuerteventura. The forested circular 21 mile diameter island yielding 602 square miles. Tenerife {GM 28.250427, -16.595486} 54 miles west of Gran Canaria. The semi-arid triangular shaped 51 mile by 32 miles by 4 miles yielding 785 square miles. La Gomera {GM 28.122441, -17.235372} was 40 miles west of Tenerife. The circular island was 14 miles in diameter yielding 142 square miles. La Palma {GM 28.696086, -17.848187} where Raben first landed, was 56 miles northwest of La Gomera. The teardrop shaped island was 29 miles by 17 miles yielded 273 square miles. El Hierro {GM 27.733211, -18.020464} was 52 miles southwest La Gomera and 56 miles south of La Palma. The boot shaped island yielded 104 square miles.

The fleet unloaded their supplies including sheep, pigs, chickens and horses as Raben recruited some local ravens to take back to Ramzab and the raven base in El Bedouza on the African coast. Raben and the fleet returned to Zarbam in March 359.

In the Western Roman Empire during 358, Julian first turned his attention to the Frankish tribes, crossing the lower Rhine forcing the tribes to surrender. He then restored three important forts on the lower Meuse river. Finally, he again switched his attention to the Alemanni, crossing the Rhine at Mainz and forcing the submission of the kings.

In 359, Julian restored seven forts and town walls in the middle Rhine, including Bonna (Bonn) and Bingium (Bingen), obliging the subdued Alemanni to provide the supplies and labor needed. He then crossed the Rhine, marched through the territory of those he’d subdued and devastated the lands of the other kings who had fought at Strasbourg. All were forced to submit and return the thousands of Roman civilians they had abducted and enslaved during the years of easy plunder. By 360, Gaul was sufficiently secure to permit Julian to despatch reinforcements of about 3,000 men to Britain, which had suffered a serious land and sea invasion by the Picts of Caledonia and the Scoti of Hibernia {PD Ireland} At the same time, unaware of the British expedition, Constantius II sent Julian a demand that Julian send 4 legions plus select squadrons of cavalry to the East as reinforcements for the war against the Persians.

This triggered a near-mutiny by Julian's soldiers, who again proclaimed him Augustus. He again refused, but this time, the troops insisted, making it clear they would mutiny if he refused and march against Constantius II with or without him. Alarmed, but also secretly pleased, Julian accepted the title and wrote an apologetic letter to Constantius II explaining why he had felt it necessary to bow to his soldiers' wishes and requesting his ratification. Constantius II refused demanding that Julian revert to Caesar status. Julian ignored the order, but to prove his good faith and also to keep his near-mutinous troops occupied, he crossed the Rhine and attacked the resurgent Frankish confederation. Finally in 361 Julian decided to confront Constantius II and the two emperors marched against each other to settle the issue.

The 359 colonist dispersal went smoothly. Madeira received 4703 colonists, the Azores Archipelago received 8000 on San Miguel and 1023 on Terceira which reached that island’s sustainable capacity. The first influx of colonists into the third colony on the Canary Islands, specifically the island of La Palma, was of 8000 colonists. The natives on La Palma had been impressed by the Pathfinders. They had terraced several areas that had been too steep to farm. The construction of water channels also impressed them. The Pathfinders had planted new crops, grown them and harvested their plantings. The construction of a windmill had fascinated the natives, especially once they saw the wind do the tedious job of milling more efficiently. What really stunned them was the wind powered sawmill. The resultant planks and beams were quite outside anything they’d ever seen. Both sides got along well and prospered together just as Raben had promised. They could easily hold conversations.

The arrival of the colonial fleets brought 8000 Clan Corvo people to the island. The fears of the natives had been alleviated by the respect and acceptance the Pathfinders had demonstrated. Fifty natives who had learned the Clan Corvo language signed on as auxiliaries to the Pathfinders as 1600 set out for the island of El Hierro to prepare that island for settlers while the remaining 800 Pathfinders continued projects on La Palma.

The colonists dispersal in 360 put 7846 colonists on Madeira, and 8000 on the Azores island of Sao Miguel. The Canary Island of La Palma took in another 10,000. There had been a few marriages between the natives and the Clan Corvo so the absorption of the natives was going smoothly. The colonist dispersal in 361 placed 7946 colonists on Madeira and 8000 on the Azores island of Sao Miguel. The Canary island of El Hierro received an initial wave of 9900 colonists which when combined with the small native population of 300 put the island at it’s sustainable population of 10,200. The pathfinders and auxiliaries, 2450 men, moved onto the island of La Gomera to prepare it for colonization. With only a population of 300, this island should pose no challenge.

As Julian and his troops headed to meet Constantius II, their march merged with the 3 divisions of Raven Raiders as they returned after the iron/emigrant exchange. Needless to say Julian was awed by the massive fortifications along the borders of the province Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. He’d been impressed when he’d seen the continuous defensive walls along the lower Rhone but they were dwarfed by the land gate and river/lake gate complex. Even more daunting was the massive wall climbing and following the mountain tops. The new Emperor knew what was involved in building fortifications so he could only marvel at the effort it took to build continuous walls up and over mountains. Julian was aware the Clan Corvo and Raben were the heart and soul of the province controlling all church and governmental positions as well as the militia. Before they dined in the huge stone edifice of Corvus Scriptorium, Raben took the intellectual co-emperor on a tour of the Clan Corvo University and the Corvus Scriptorium and the awe inspiring massive library which by then was the largest in the world.

As they relaxed after a sumptuous meal Raben spoke. “Emperor Julian, four years ago you offered a reward for what we did at the Battle of Argentoratum. I said then I’d wait until you are co-emperor. Now that has happened and I’d like my reward.”

Julian drew in his breath, prepared to be infuriated by an audacious request, doing his best to maintain a calm appearance. He knew that being so deep inside the Clan Corvo’s domain his life was at risk if he offended Raben. Needless to say that apprehension did not sit well with the Emperor. Yet knowing how Raben always remained loyal to the emperor, he assumed the head of Clan Corvo knew that Julian would remain emperor. “If it is within my grasp to grant without hurting the empire, it will be so.”

“What I’d like is to rename the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae,” Raben, sensing Julian’s trepidation, meekly requested. “As you know the Clan Corvo populates, owns and controls the entire province. The first property the founder of the clan purchased in the province was a small alpine farmstead at the head of this valley, a place called Barmaz. We’d like to rename the entire province Barmaz in honor of our humble beginning.”

Relieved the request was indeed minor. Changing the name of the province would be inconsequential for the empire but would assure the cooperation of the Clan Corvo. Emperor Julian went a step further than Raben requested. Graciously he issued an Imperial Proclamation, sent throughout the Roman Empire, that henceforth the province of Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae, formerly a part of the Diocese of Gaul, was forever after the Independent Imperial Province of Barmaz reporting to and only to the Emperor of Rome.

Raben was delighted with the proclamation and profusely thanked Julian intentionally feeding the Emperor’s vanity. The next day Julian began the trek over Poeninus Mons crossing into Italy heading towards Constantinople. Raben was to follow in the spring of 362 with 3 divisions of Raven Raiders to support Julian.

Raben had other concerns to deal with. The storage area in the hidden library at the original Barmaz was nearing capacity. Raben thought he'd made it large enough to last centuries. He had drastically underestimated the known writings and the voluminous writings of contemporaries. The manuscript collection program of the Corvus Scriptoriums was almost too successful. About 600 feet north across the valley from the Elder House and the original hidden library, {GM 46.151397, 6.830358} Raben began the construction of new tunnels. The excavated rock was dumped over the cliff by the Torrent de Barme {GM 46.151001, 6.837301}. The tunnels would be quite extensive and the excavated rock would create a long ramp for a new road up the steep slope including diverting the Torrent de Barme south around the promontory east of the bottom of the cliff. A much larger stone and wood building would be constructed over the entrance to the new tunnels. The building would be of similar style and use as the Elder House, but on a larger scale to house up to two hundred elders.

Between the turmoil of the Roman Empire and guiding the Clan Corvo, Raben was being pulled in dozens of directions. Realizing he was becoming a bit frayed, he decided to spend a solitary week in the upper pastures of the original Barmaz homestead he'd inherited from Marcellus Longinus. He wanted time to meditate and center himself since this year presented him with a new milestone, he'd reached his bicentennial, he was 200 years old. Much time was spent musing about his success and future goals. Members of the Clan Corvo were simply a huge extended family functioning with loyalty and love. No person was more important than another. Everyone was valued and all jobs, positions and promotions were done by merit. There was no such thing as inheriting a position if you couldn't handle the job. The person cleaning out latrines was just as respected as the provincial governor. In addition no one was forced to remain in the Clan Corvo or clan controlled areas nor even remain under the influence of the clan. They had freedom of choice to stay or go. The vast majority choose to stay while those who left were welcomed back like the prodigal sons they were. The powerful arms of the Clan Corvo truly protected and cared for the members. Everyone in the Clan Corvo learned to read and write. The elderly and infirm always had a warm place to live and adequate food. The public library in the Barmaz Corvus Scriptorium was the largest known library in the world. The Clan Corvo University in Champery far surpassed those in Alexandria and Athens. The vast majority of students were from the Clan Corvo although a few paying outsiders were allowed to attend.

Outside of a few minor scouting skirmishes, the forces of Constantius II and Julian never met in battle. On November 3, 361, the Constantius II died of a fever as he traveled to meet his cousin in battle. Surprisingly, on his deathbed Constantius II named Julian as his successor.

Although raised in Constantine the Great’s shadow, with priests teaching him the tenants of Christianity, Julian’s primary influence was his classical Neoplatonic education. While nominally a Christian, his faith was simply an accommodation to expectations. Upon reaching Constantinople Julian purged the top-heavy state bureaucracy, especially the over-reaching and often cloying Arian Christian hierarchy. Julian then attempted to revive traditional Roman religious practices at the expense of Christianity. Due to his experiences as a student, Julian also forbade Christians from teaching classical texts and learning. Julian rejected the Christianity imposed on him in his youth, promoting Neoplatonic Hellenism in its place. {Christian history would remember him as Julian the Apostate.}

With the death of Constantius II, the Raven Raider commitment to join Julian in fighting the deceased Emperor was abrogated. Raben decided it was time to secure the Mediterranean sea lanes the Clan Corvus Shipping heavily used. He diverted the colonists and Raven Raiders to do so. Corvus Shipping needed bases around the Mediterranean. The Clan Corvo would take over 3 islands and build 2 ports on the mainland.

To accomplish this he decided to stop sending colonists to Madeira and Sao Miguel in the Azores letting them reach their population cap by their 2% birth over death rate. Madeira would do so in 368 and Sao Miguel would do so in 370. Madeira was thriving and was able to meet their own food supplies with extra to trade. They still needed to import metal and cement from the mainland since the island had no natural reserves. However, iron and cement had been found on several Azores islands which was traded. In addition, despite a temporary hold on new colonists, the settlement of the Canary Archipelago was going smoothly. The natives were convinced by the honesty and integrity of the Pathfinders and colonists as well as the open acceptance and welcome into the Clan Corvo. Raben visited all the islands with representatives from La Palma talking to the natives convincing them to send people to La Palma to learn the new farming and fishing techniques as well as the Clan Corvo language as well as allowing the Pathfinders to set up bases on each island to demonstrate the Clan Corvo techniques.

The port of Zarbam was 623 miles, 3 days sailing, from Stromboli {GM 38.789487, 15.210898} an active volcano 2.8 miles long by 1.8 miles wide in the southeastern Tyrrhenian Sea. Mini eruptions were nearly continuous, with a pattern of eruption in which explosions occur at the summit craters, with mild to moderate eruptions of fiery volcanic bombs at intervals ranging from minutes to hours. Eruptions from the summit craters typically result in a few short, mild, but energetic bursts, ranging up to a few hundred meters in height, containing ash, glowing lava fragments and stone blocks. Lava flows occasionally occur when volcanic activity was high. The Island was 44 miles northwest of the Strait of Messina, 40 miles north of Milazzo, Sicily and 38 miles northwest of Tropea, Italy. There was a small native population of 300 in 2 settlements, the smaller on the southwestern corner and the larger on the northeast corner. The main source of income was olive trees growing on the flanks of the volcano. A few sheep and goats also grazed the slopes. Raben bought land and placed a battalion of Pathfinders, 746 people, on the island to take over operation of the harbor and marry into the islanders to bring them into the Clan Corvo as well as setting up a raven mail roost. Raben established a population cap of 2500 for the island.

From Stromboli heading west 621 miles around the boot of Italy towards the Corvus Scriptorium on the Island of Marzab near Constantinople was the island of Kardiotissa {GM 36.629773, 25.017790}. It was an uninhabited, small, rocky, waterless, treeless island 1.3 miles long by 0.3 miles wide oriented from the southwest to the northeast. It was 2.5 miles southwest of the populated island of Sikinos and 3.9 miles east of the populated island of Folegandros, islands on the north edge of the Sea of Crete. Near the middle of the southern shore was a ravine that formed a small harbor. A troop of Pathfinders, 29 people, were assigned to build a system of cisterns and a small port as well as setting up a raven mail roost. The island was 410 miles from Marzab.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 46: 362-364 CE: Securing Sea Routes

At 358 miles from Zarbam, the Island of Ibiza {GM 38.983162, 1.414738} was 64 miles east of the Cape de la Nau, Spain. The island was already populated when Phoenicians founded a port in 654 BCE. Ibiza then came under the control of Carthage. After Rome defeated Carthage, Ibiza negotiated a favorable treaty sparing further destruction. It's Carthaginian-Punic institutions and traditions continued well into the Empire days. The rocky island is 11.5 miles wide by 24.5 miles long oriented southwest to northeast making 221 square miles with a hot-summer Mediterranean climate bordering on a hot semi-arid climate. The island had some terracing for olive trees on the hilly interior with farm fields in the lower coastal areas with sheep and goats supplemented with fishing supporting a population of 5000. There was a well protected natural harbors also called Ibiza. Raben led a massive influx of Clan Corvo people, talking to the locals and buying land as ship after ship put into the port unloading the Clan Corvo immigrants.

First to land was a battalion of Raven Raiders, 746 people, then 2 battalions of Pathfinders, 1492 people, followed by 16,008 colonists. The Clan Corvo people outnumbered the natives 3.6 to 1, peacefully assimilating the natives making the island a Clan Corvo colony. A raven mail roost was also established.

They had been using the port of Derna, Lybia as the mid-point on the trip to Alexandria. The port was okay but it would be difficult to establish a separate area for Corvus Shipping. There really was no satisfactory port on the coast of North Africa. Fortunately, Raben remembered Zawiyat {GM 32.570040, 23.074273} the small Libyan village he'd had stumbled naked into after being swept overboard in 216. {See Chapters 17 & 18} He'd rescued the village from the bandit Syphax. The sleepy village was 28 miles southeast of Derna, well off the coastal trade routes from Alexandria-Tobruk-Derna-Benghazi-Tripoli-Tunis-Algiers-Oran-Tangier/Strait of Gibraltar. Umm Ar Rizam was a way station village on the coastal road 4.8 miles southwest of Zawiyat. Zawiyat is located at the point where the Shatib ar Rashash joins the Wadi al Jinan just southwest of the village. The joined Wadis join the Wadi as Sayd east of the village just before they enter Ziq ‘Ayn al Mal, a marshy coastal depression. The wadis are dammed and terraced to retain moisture from the infrequent rains allowing small scale farming in the wadis. He remembered there was a small point of land, Minqar Rabih {GM 32.533811, 23.106413} projecting into the Mediterranean 3 miles to the southeast. Accompanied by a troop of Pathfinders Raben traveled to check the point. Together they determined it could be easily made into a secure small part time port 635 miles southeast of Stromboli through the Strait of Messina, 410 miles west of Alexandria, and 324 miles southeast of Kardiotissa.

Raben then stopped into the village. The villagers had been aware of the visitors as soon as they left the coastal road at Umm Ar Rizam. When the mounted armed unit approached the village they sprang to man their defenses, ones that Raben had established for them and showed them how to use 146 years before. Raben stopped the troop of Pathfinders and had them dismount to wait while he approached the village alone.

"I see your village hasn't changed much since my last visit," Raben smiled as he walked forward. "I see you've maintained the defenses I helped your forebearer's build. I'm glad to see they passed down the military skills I showed them."

That the youth spoke their language as if he'd been born to it caused them concern as they tried to figure out who he was. That the youth claimed to have helped build the defenses and train their forebearers seemed impossible. The Demon Slayer, whom they revered as a hero, had done those things.

"I told your forebearers that I might someday return," Raben declared as he read their emotions. "That day has arrived. I am Raben Corvo, the Demon Slayer."

That certainly had them excitedly chattering. "How do we know you are the Demon Slayer?"

"That's easy," Raben laughed. "As you can see I've ordered my associates to stand down. Try to kill me."

They villagers exchanged worrying looks. Finally an elderly man armed with a spear stepped forward. "The Demon Slayer can not be killed."

"You're right," Raben smiled as he bared his torso and held out his arms. "Don't be afraid. Strike well!"

The old man swallowed nervously but stepped before Raben, hesitating a moment before thrusting the spear into Raben's exposed gut.

Raben grunted as the spear entered, twisting a bit so the penetrating tip missed his spine. The old man was not strong enough to thrust the point all the way through but the point stuck 3 inches out his back.

The old man stepped back, eyes open in amazement as Raben lifted his hands aloft as he walked around with the spear bouncing in his gut, turning so they could see the point protruding from his back as well as the blood trickling from both wounds.

"I am the Demon Slayer," Raben proclaimed. "After 146 years, I have returned."

The villagers were stunned, especially as they watched Raben grasp the spear and pull it out, then handed it back to the elderly man. Every eye was glued to his tummy as they watched the wounds healed.

"Tonight we feast!" Raben called out as he signaled his troops forward. "We have brought supplies so we will not burden the village."

As the feast was prepared Raben spoke of his initial visit discussing with the 150 villagers what took place with their forebearers.

The next day Raben explained why he returned, wanting to build a small port manned by a troop of Pathfinders who would interact with the villagers. With their approval a troop of Pathfinders was stationed there building a small warehouse/barracks and dock and setting up a raven mail Roost.

The Strait of Gibraltar was a vital crossroads for the entire Mediterranean world as well as the Clan Corvo. The Bay of Gibraltar had been populated by Neanderthals. On the west side of the bay the Phoenicians were the first to establish a port and was the site of the Roman port of Portus Albus with two nearby nearly adjoining cities called Caetaria and Iulia Transducta, which now make up the city of Algeciras. Due west, 5 miles across the bay, was the Rock of Gibraltar. The Rock was revered by the Greeks and Romans as one of the two Pillars of Hercules, created by the demigod during his tenth labor when he smashed through a mountain separating the Atlantic and the Mediterranean. There were temples and altars to Hercules on the Rock where passing travelers made sacrifices. While temporary look out posts had been periodically established on the 1398 feet tall rock, no permanent settlements had been made. Gibraltar had many disadvantages that hindered settlers. It lacked easily accessible fresh water, fertile soil or a safe natural anchorage on the shoreline. The shallow draft and dense mud of the shore made it difficult for vessels to land there. Clan Corvo representatives had purchased the entire eastern peninsula, a length of 4.5 miles from the tip.

A brigade of Pathfinders, 2256 people, and 4744 colonists landed on the flat area north of the rock. The first priority was 2 fold, to secure a steady fresh water supply and housing. Cisterns were built and channels dug to guide rainwater to the cisterns. The housing was built on slopes to keep valuable flat areas available. Roads and paths were cut into the sides of the rock with excess rock taken to the northwestern shore even with the northern end of the Rock. The adjoining bay area was shallow, filled with eons of debris filled mud washed off the huge rock and the mainland. A dredge was set up to clear the mud to base rock. The rocks brought down to the shore were dumped into the dredged areas to create a mole. Gibraltar was 436 miles from Ibiza, 687 miles from Madeira, 1100 miles from the Azores and 685 miles from the Canary Islands.

The turmoil of the Roman Empire wouldn’t let Raben rest. A “request” for Raben to bring 3 divisions of Raven Raiders to join Emperor Julian's spring 363 campaign against the Persians was received. Raben was not happy but also knew he couldn't refuse. A note was sent that he'd lead the Raven Raiders over the Poeninus Mons from the Upper Rhone training camps as soon as the snows melted in mid May.

Unfortunately, like so many previous emperors, Julian had succumbed to the "Alexander the Great syndrome"; the desire to emulate the legendary Macedonian general and conquer the Persian empire. On March 5, 363, he left Antioch to invade Mesopotamia at the head of an enormous army of 85,000.

Keeping his word, Raben led 3 divisions of Raven Raiders out of Barmaz into northern Italy in mid May. By June they were moving down the west coast of the Adriatic Sea heading towards Constantinople. Initially successful, Julian's campaign ended in heavy casualties. Forced to retreat, Julian was wounded and died three days later on June 26, 363.

The Raven Raiders were arranging transportation across the Bosporus when news of the Emperor's death reached Constantinople. At that point Raben decided to wait to see who the successor was and, since the battered Roman forces were withdrawing, if the Raven Raiders were still needed.

Even though Raben was tied up with service to the emperor, he continued his plans to secure bases for ports. With the issues along the Rhine he wanted to secure an ocean route north to Bazram. Because of the distance from Barmaz and Bazram, the bases would need to be well manned. Corvus Shipping Exploratory Fleets had laid out a route that Raben approved. In the spring of 363 he sent settlement fleets to set up 3 bases by occupying islands while telling Svenn to send out a fleet to establish a base on a fourth island chain nearer Bazram.

The first place was The Isle of San Martino {GM 42.195590, -8.905414}, the southernmost of the 3 Cies Islands at the mouth of the Ria de Vigo 4 miles from the west coast of Iberia. The tree covered rocky granite island is 1.5 miles long by 0.6 miles wide. Oriented southeast to northwest, the west side of the island is extremely rocky and steep, fully exposed to the actions of the open Atlantic. the east side is rocky but has a 0.3 mile long nice sandy beach 2/3 of the way up the shore. A mole would need to be added to make a safe harbor but there were plenty of rocks available. The east side of the island had a lot of land that was protected from the worst of the often harsh Atlantic storms. A battalion of Pathfinders, 746 people, was landed to build the harbor, a warehouse, and fields for crops and a herd of sheep and goats as well as a raven mail roost. They would also fish the surrounding waters. They were 595 miles northwest of Gibraltar.

The second place was the Belle Ile En Mer {GM 47.328897, -3.192951} 10.6 miles by 5.6 miles making 32 square miles. The semi forested island is oriented from southeast to northwest, The southwest side has sharp cliff edges and placid beaches and harbors on the northeast and located 15.5 miles from the mainland France. The island had a farming, herding and fishing economy. The island had a native population of 1000. A battalion of mounted Raven Raiders, 746 people, and a battalion of Pathfinders, 746 people as well as 4000 colonists were settled on the island with a raven mail roost. It was 486 miles northeast of the Isle of San Martino.

The third place was the Isle of Man {GM 54.171604, -4.596243} in the Irish Sea almost equidistant from Ireland, Scotland and England. The island is 32 miles long and 14 miles wide with an area of 221 square miles and a temperate oceanic climate. The island has a few trees but most of the land is pasture and farm fields with herding and sea fishing. There is a small native sheep, the Loaghtan, with short tails and fine boned, usually with 4 horns although some have 6. The native population was 3000 hardy folk. Knowing the Caledonians and the Hibernian seafaring traditions, Raben decided to establish an armed fishing fleet crewed by a brigade of Pathfinders, 2256 people, as well as a mounted division of Raven Raiders, 6786 people, along with 10,771 colonists with a raven mail roost. Belle Ile En Mer is 570 miles southeast.

Svenn sent a fleet to establish a base on the Shetland Islands {GM 60.301740, -1.268424} oceanic temperate maritime bordering on subpolar climate. It was 223 miles west of the Bergen, Norway and 110 miles north of mainland Scotland with an area of 567 square miles with a coastline of 1,679 miles. Only 16 of 100 islands are habitable. The main island is Mainland. Yell, Unst, and Fetlar lie to the north, Bressay and Whalsay lie to the east. East and West Burra, Muckle Roe, Papa Stour, Trondra and Vaila are smaller islands to the west of Mainland. The other inhabited islands are Foula 17 miles west of Walls, Fair Isle 24 miles south-west of Sumburgh Head, and the Out Skerries to the east. Made of sandstone deposits and granite, virtually treeless, it was perfect for herding, farming and sea fishing with native population of 1000 Picts. Svenn stationed a fleet there and 3000 colonists. The Shetland Islands were 600 miles northeast of the Isle of Man and it was 490 miles northeast to Levanger {GM 63.747454, 11.300493} in Bazram, the last link in the sea route between Barmaz and Bazram.

Julian was succeeded by Jovian, the new Emperor was forced to negotiate a humiliating treaty with the Persians. Jovian, a Christian, promptly reestablished Christianity as the state church, ending Julian's brief revival of paganism. It didn’t take long for Raben to receive word from Jovian that the Raven Raiders should return home. The Clan Corvo forces wasted no time heading back to Barmaz, crossing back into Barmaz near Zarbam. Raben sent Raven mail to Svenn in Bazram informing him that the 364 colonists and iron exchange would be conducted on the newly secured sea route.

As the colonial fleet was preparing to sail from Zarbam in the spring of 364, word reached Raben that Emperor Jovian died before he’d been able to reach Constantinople, ostentatiously after over indulging in mushrooms and wine, having ruled eight months. He was succeeded by Valentinian I.

Fiach sailed with the colonial fleet sailed to Ibiza where they left 5000 colonists, then on to Gibraltar, then around Iberia to the Isla De San Martino where 50 colonists settled. From there it was on to Belle Ile En Mer leaving 1000 colonists, then on to the Isle of Man where 8000 colonists were settled. Next came the Shetland Islands where 2 battalions of Pathfinders, 1492 people, a battalion of mounted Raven Raiders, 746 people, and 2762 colonists took up residence. The last stop was Levanger in Barzam where 2 battalions of Pathfinders, 1492 people; 2 battalions of Mounted Raven Raiders, 1492 people; and 2016 colonists joined the northern location of the Clan Corvo.

A visit by Fiach/Raben to the northern community was overdue because of what had been happening with the Franks and Alemanni. Raven mail and the yearly iron shipments had allowed communication but Svenn, the leader of Clan Corvo North, needed Fiach's eyes, advice, and language abilities. The community was steadily growing and expanding, with the current population, upon the fleet’s arrival, to 73,000+. With seventeen years as chief under his belt, Svenn was doing well governing Bazram as it grew bigger and more powerful each year. However the population of the surrounding areas were growing much slower and the wealth and cohesion of the clan made neighbors jealous and fearful. As they spread north they had encountered an arctic ethnic group.

As the large fleet sailed into Trondheim Fjord, Fiach recognized the expressions on the faces of those who watched them pass. They were indeed apprehensive of the successful Clan Corvo. They only lacked someone to unite and lead them against the Clan Corvo. A plan was needed to eliminate the jealousy and fear thus ensuring the security of Barzam.

Everyone in the watershed of Trondheim Fjord knew that Svenn and the Clan Corvo were actively buying every farmstead that came on the market. Truth be told there was no market for selling property as farmsteads were normally passed down in families or cut out of the virgin timberlands. The Clan Corvo had coin, something rare in the northern mostly barter based system of trading. So when a family fell on hard times, Svenn loaned them cash using their farmstead as collateral. If they failed to repay, he took ownership, often allowing the beleaguered family to remain as tenant farmers. In addition, he always paid a fair price, even if he was foreclosing, paying the difference between the debt and market value. In this way he created a housing/farming market as well as a primitive bank. It also unsettled the locals.

Fiach decided the best way to address the valid concerns of the neighbors was head on. An area wide invitation was sent out to all who lived in the Trondheim Fjord area to either attend or send a representative to a Thing. A Thing was a type of peaceful governing assembly in early Germanic society, made up of the free people of the community presided over by lawspeakers, those who knew traditional oral governing codes.

“Thank you for coming,” Fiach declared as freemen and guests from up and down the Trondheim Fjord gathered for the Thing and feast that had been nearly a month in preparation. “Svenn is the Jarl of the Clan Corvo here at Bazram. This is one of over a dozen locations of the Clan Corvo. Mazbar is a walled farmstead and business located in Rome, Zamrab is also a walled farmstead and business located in Alexandria in Egypt, Marzab is a small island business in Constantinople, Zabram is our shipyard and port on the Mediterranean. Then we have established colonies on 3 different archipelagos in the Atlantic Ocean. Barmaz is our main base which has taken over an entire province of the Roman Empire. I am Fiach, co-head of the entire Clan Corvo along with my twin brother, Raben. We are also known as Demon Slayers.”

That comment drew a lot of consternation and mumbling from the guests.

“Our ancestor and namesake was a fourteen year old Ianuarian and skilled hunter living in Germania Magna when Roman slavers attacked our village,” Fiach continued. “He followed the slavers attacking them while they slept killing the sentries then slitting the throats of the sleeping men killing all ninety eight men. One dead man came back to life. The man had been a Roman soldier who killed the man known as Jesus, who was the son of God. As a punishment he was cursed to never die, never age, and heal any injuries. When our ancestor encountered him the man was 165 years old. Our ancestor figured a way to kill the man breaking the Curse. However, when the man finally died the Curse fled from the dead man into our ancestor.”

“Those of us who are direct descendants can, if we are worthy, inherit the Curse, thus becoming Demon Slayers,” Fiach stated. “The Curse allows a set of twin brother and sister direct descendants of the original Demon Slayer to become Demon Slayers. The previous Demon Slayer must test their proposed successors before God. If God approves, the Curse passes from one to the other, freeing the previous now former Demon Slayer to resume aging and eventually die. Demon Slayers are Cursed to live without aging, heal any wounds, survive any poison. Demon Slayers are expert fighters but also Ianuarians so we can heal as well as kill. We're not proud being so good at killing but we only do so when provoked.” At that point Fiach began krocking.

The guests were confused about why Fiach suddenly began making realistic raven sounds. Several ravens flew from the surrounding fields to land around Fiach, 3 perching on her head and shoulders. The ravens and Raben proceeded to talk. The guests were truly amazed and spooked to see Odin’s pets being so close to a person.

“As you can see, Demon Slayers can also talk to animals,” Fiach explained. “Ravens are my eyes and ears. Wolves my teeth and claws. In the Clan Corvo at age 13 everyone, male and female, join the Clan Corvo militia and are trained as soldiers. They remain in the militia the rest of their lives. The Raven Raiders are my cousins whom I have further trained in combat. We do not want to fight you, but if you force us into battle, know that we WILL destroy you, take all your possessions, and then enslave your families for your stupidity.”

Needless to say there was a lot of murmuring and snorts of disbelief. Looking about the guests Fiach selected an impressive man. She rolled her shirt up to her armpits and wrapped a cloth around the top of her pants as she walked to him.

“Take your sword and thrust it through my gut,” Fiach clearly ordered as she spread her arms exposing himself to an easy strike. “You will not be harmed because I have publicly asked you to do this. It is necessary so I can prove that I speak the truth. Now run me through!”

The man rose to his feet and drew his sword. “Are you sure?”

“Of course,” Fiach said. “Stab me!”

The man struck, thrusting his sword through Fiach burying it to the hilt with nearly two feet of blade protruding from her back. Everyone gasped in shock.

Fiach shook her head. “Damn, that hurts!” Then she turned and walked around the gathered freemen and Clan Corvo members so they could see blood trickling from the entry and exit wounds around the sword. “Like I said, I can’t be killed.”

When she returned to the wide eyed man who stabbed her, Fiach smiled. “You can take your sword back now.”

The man tentatively reached out to grasp the hilt of his sword and then slowly drew it out of Fiach’s skewered gut.

"That tickles," Fiach chuckled as everyone incredulously watched. "Now, watch the wound as it heals."

Fiach again moved about so all could see the entrance and exit wounds heal while they watched.

“I’m going to be totally honest with you,” Fiach declared after rolling her shirt back down after the wounds disappeared. “The Clan Corvo is expanding and we are taking over neighboring farmsteads. We will not take farmsteads by force unless they start the violence. We will loan money to farmsteads at fair terms and rates as a few of you are already aware. If the loans default, we assume ownership of the farmstead, buying it at a fair price paying the owner the difference between the loan and the value of the farmstead. If they are interested, we work out terms for the ex-owner to continue as a tenant farmer.”

Fiach paused to let the freemen process her words.

“While we try to be peaceful you need to know that everyone in the Clan Corvo, male and female, are trained to be the best fighting force in the area and we will fight if we are attacked,” Fiach continued. “Our defense plans are simple, annihilate anyone who attacks us. Survivors will be enslaved and all possessions will be confiscated as punishment. I have brought with me 2 battalions of Raven Raiders, 1492 men who are well trained and full time elite warriors. Again, we do NOT want to fight, but we are prepared to do so if attacked.”

Again Fiach paused to let her words sink in to those who were listening.

“As many of you know, all who marry into the clan are granted full clan privileges,” Fiach informed them. “We also offer and encourage the families of those who marry into the Clan Corvo to also join us. We will eventually expand to occupy the entire Trondheim Fjord. We started with the Olvishaugen Farmstead 66 years ago and we have grown slowly but steadily since then and will continue to grow until we control the entire fjord. Hopefully we’ll do this peacefully by marriage.”

“The Clan Corvo is honest,” Fiach stated. “That is why I’ve showed you my Curse and told you that I am a Demon Slayer. I’ve personally killed 843 men in combat. I do not like to fight but I’m damn good at it. The Clan Corvo does not want to fight you. We invite you to join the Clan Corvo and grow with us. We do not want you to be afraid of us nor do we want you to hate us. If you don’t want to join us, we will buy your farmsteads for a fair price so you can move to another place. But know this, there is much cheating and fighting out in the world. Joining us will ensure your safety as well as that of your future progeny.”

Again Fiach paused to let the guests absorb what she was telling them.

"The Demon Slayers are the head of the Clan Corvo," Fiach continued. "The Clan Corvo owns all property and vessels. No one owns property or ships, members of the Clan use them. That means no one is rich. As you have seen and will see, we share all we have. All positions are granted by merit. No one is poor. No one is abandoned. Slaves can earn their freedom and membership in the Clan after 3 years. You have witnessed the happiness of our members here. We offer you membership in our Clan. You can ask anything you like of me or Svenn. Talk to our Clan members. Now, let’s eat, drink and be merry!”

A lot of questions were asked and answered. By the time the gathering ended, everyone knew the intentions of Clan Corvo and that the end plans would not come to fruition in their lifetime, perhaps not even in the lifetimes of their children and grandchildren. Their fears had been alleviated. The years between now and then would be of adjustment and acclimation as they gently slipped into the folds of Clan Corvo.

Over the next weeks Fiach helped in the refitting of every ship with a Scorpio mounted on a small foredeck with flammable projectiles. Each scorpio was equipped with frames that allowed the quick and effective mounting of shields to form a protective shield wall. In addition, the prows were reinforced with straw packed boxes to safely cushion and hold flammable grenades that could be easily tossed into enemy vessels. After training the crews how to use the artillery and grenades, she had the vessels train in disciplined coordinated maneuvers. Each future iron shipment would be accompanied by 5 fighting ships. In addition, she wanted 30 ships to head to Zarbam to join the Corvus Shipping Fleet. The crews would be trained to sail caravels and would return north with 30 - 100 ton caravels to add larger stronger floating fighting platforms.

The Raven Raiders worked with the militia training them in individual combat as well as unit combat. Shields were redesigned to align and interlock. Five darts were mounted to the inside of the shields. As lines of warriors closed for hand to hand combat, the weighted darts would be tossed underhanded to arc over the front line of their enemy crashing down into the enemy's ranks to create injuries and havoc within their ranks.

Svenn had extended Clan Corvo control west over the rest of the short peninsula to it's end at Point Hynne as well as the island of Tautra a mile north of Point Hynne. The Raven Raiders were stationed on Point Hynne with lookouts on the island. They could monitor all water traffic heading up Trondheim Fjord. Trondheim Fjord northeast of that point was under the control of the Clan Corvo as they had absorbed the farmsteads along the shores of the inner fjord. They had intermarried with many farmsteads. Beitstad Fjord came off a 2000 feet wide channel at the northwest end of Trondheim Fjord. Svenn had bought the farmsteads on either side of the entrance as well as the island of Ytteroya which covered the entrance. The 500 feet wide entrance to Borgen Fjord was 5 miles east of the entrance to Beitstad Fjord and Svenn controlled both sides of that entrance.

A rough line between the coastal town of Namsos, the lakeside village of Snasa and the inland town of Sorli formed an informal boundary north of which the people were a different ethnicity. The Sami people have lived and worked in an area that stretches over the northern parts of the regions now known as Scandinavian Peninsula. They have inhabited the northern arctic and sub-arctic regions of Fenno-Scandinavia and Russia for at least 5,000 years. The Sea Sami and the Mountain Sami are two classes of the same people. Sami livelihoods included coastal fishing, fur trapping, sheep herding and semi-nomadic reindeer hunting. They were also involved in agriculture and iron work.

The Sami and the Norse occupied very separate economic niches. Their languages were quite different and communicating complicated ideas and concepts difficult. The Sami hunted reindeer and fished for their livelihood. The Norwegians, were concentrated on the outer islands and near the mouths of the fjords, with access to European trade routes so that in addition to marginal farming they were able to establish commerce, supplying fish in trade for products from the south. The two groups co-existed using two different food resources. As with most arctic peoples, they were cautiously hospitable, willing to come to the aid of those in need but also ready to fight if the need arose. The Sami respected that the Clan Corvo was much like them in respect of helping those in need and being hospitable while prepared to fight.

However the spread of the Clan Corvo as they moved north through the tributaries of Trondheim Fjord were beginning to create friction. Svenn had temporarily halted northward expansion, telling the Sami he had requested the leader of the Clan Corvo to come to speak to the leaders and shamans of the Sami. When Fiach had arrived in Bazram, word had been sent to the Sami asking for the meeting. The meeting would be held in Snasa

Svenn took Fiach to the northern end of Beitstad Fjord, then up the Steinkjerelva river to the Byaelva
River to Lake Reinsvatnet to Lake Fossemvatnet to Lake Snåsavatnet. At the northern end of the lake a small stream, the Vibekken, entered the lake with a tiny fishing village. A half mile upstream was the village of Snasa. Fiach noted the style of the buildings, boats, dress, and appearance of the people were different. The party who made the short trek inland to Snasa consisted of Fiach, Svenn, his wife, and four other married couples.

One couple, who lived at a fairly new farmstead, Holum Vest, 6.4 miles southwest on Lake Snasavatnet had learned a basic Sami vocabulary and were trusted by the local Sami. Fiach was introduced as the head of the Clan Corvo. Fiach had used her affinity for languages to pick up the language and took over the introduction. Needless to say the Sami were stunned as she began to fluently converse with them.

Fiach explained that she was dual spirited, physically both female and male and that she was currently presenting as female while at other times she presented as male using the name Raben. The Sami Shamanistic culture accepted dual spirited people naming them ergi. She then explained her family curse and that she was known as the Demon Slayer meaning she could not be killed. Then she explained that she was blessed by the superior celestial deity of the Sami, Jubmel with the ability of languages, not only with people, but also with animals. Upon seeing they were politely skeptical she smiled.

Pointing at village dogs lingering nearby she barked. The ears on the dogs promptly perked up and all looked at her. Upon barking a second time every dog in the village raced to her. With a nod of her head they sat quietly in a semi-circle facing her with their tails wagging. .

Fiach then tipped her head back and raucously krocked. Answering krocks came from the trees surrounding the village, startling the Sami. After krocking a second time nearly 2 dozen ravens flew from the trees to circle around Fiach. Fiach momentarily barked and the dogs laid down, then she krocked. The ravens swooped in landing in pairs on the backs of the dogs with another pair landing on her shoulders.

“As you can see, I talk to and command animals,” Fiach declared as she drew a knife from a sheath at her waist. “We will have a feast to celebrate our alliance. Follow me into the forests while I find a bear. I will tell the bear I will kill him so we can eat him. Naturally he will not be happy and will attack me. We will battle to the death, his death. I will be mauled and bloodied, but I will heal as you watch. I will send the ravens to guide us to a bear.” Fiach spoke to the Ravens who took to the air as she stripped down to a thin shirt and pants.

Svenn led the Clan Corvo members as the disbelieving Sami leaders, villagers and dogs followed. The krocking of ravens echoed through the forests as Fiach led the disparate group. The humans could tell Fiach was listening to the Raven speech and following their guidance. It took half an hour as the ravens clearly guided her.

When they reached the bear it was clearly agitated by and at the krocking ravens in the trees. Fiach told the people and dogs to stay back as she approached. Picking up her scent, the bear turned to face her roaring angrily. Fiach promptly returned the roar, challenging the angry bear and startling the listeners. The 770 pound brown bear reared up on his hind legs to a height of 8 feet, roaring and threatening, swinging his front paws with the 3.5 inch long sharp claws exposed. Fiach again roared brandishing her knife as she returned the bear’s challenge. The 4 feet ten inch tall, 95 pound girl showed no fear or hesitation. The Sami thought she had to be utterly insane as did her own people.

When the bear charged so did Fiach, both screaming their war cries. The bear dwarfed her as their bodies crashed together. Naturally the bear overwhelmed her, his huge maw engulfing her head as they tumbled to the ground. Wisely, Fiach had closed tightly to the bear thus avoiding it’s rending front claws while her knife struck true. However, the sharp teeth dug into her flesh and skull. The battle lasted no more than twenty seconds as the combatants stilled and fell silent. Fiach was not even visible as the bear completely buried her.

The forest was suddenly silent. Even the ravens fell silent. The humans looked on in stunned disbelief. The bear was still! Had she managed to kill it?

Then the bear began to move panicking the humans until they noticed it was not a natural movement. An arm poked out from beneath the bear, then another arm. As they watched Fiach pulled herself from beneath the bear’s still bulk. As her head emerged they gasped seeing her bleeding shredded face and scalp. Once she was free she slowly stood. One ear and a hank of hair dangled to a shoulder. Her jaw hung askew with her mouth ripped open through her cheek nearly to her other ear. Blood oozed from the wounds.

Even though the Clan Corvo people knew she would heal, the injuries were horrendous. The Sami were stunned to see the ravaged girl was still alive. The wounds were so horrible none could look away.

As they watched Fiach flicked her head flinging her blood soaked hair off the open wound that had been her ear. Then she gently maneuvered the dangling flesh back into it’s proper location pressing the ends of the flesh together. Then she grasped her distended jaw and wrenched it back in place. Next she pressed the torn open cheek together to her mouth. By that time the bleeding had stopped. Slowly she worked her jaw as it reset itself. The horrendous wounds were healing as the startled onlookers watched.

“As I said, I am a Demon Slayer. I can’t be killed,” Fiach told the awed Sami. “Let me wash this gore off in the stream. Svenn, can you prepare the bear for transport?”

Svenn set two men to work cutting a strong sapling to use as a portage pole as they gutted the huge bear. The women gathered the organs and intestines for later use. They tied the rear legs together, did the same with the front legs, then slipped the portage pole through the legs. By then Fiach rejoined the group. The Sami were stunned by how rapidly she was healing. She ignored her torn clothing. The younger Sami assisted carrying the bear back to Snasa as Fiach released the ravens to feast upon the abandoned portions of guts.

As soon as they returned to Snasa word of Fiach’s encounter with bear spread through the Sami like wildfire. Many doubted the veracity until they saw her torn clothes. The Bear was skinned and butchered and spitted. Fiach told the Sami they could keep the bear skin as a totem, as well as her shredded clothes and the knife to take from village to village as they told the tale of the Demon Slayer.

The feast was spectacular as Fiach told the Sami the story of the Clan Corvo and their goals. She informed them that the Clan was growing and spreading north into the areas they occupied. “There are more Clan Corvo members that there are stars in the sky! I tell you this so our peoples don’t fight for if we fight we will win and you could be destroyed. We do not want that! We invite the Sami to join us as full members of the Clan Corvo. You do not have to give up anything as we share all we have with you. The Sami people have great knowledge and skills. The Clan Corvo has different knowledge and skills. By combining we all grow and prosper. As we have done since our beginning, we incorporate the history, beliefs, legends and language of those who join us into the larger Clan. Grow with us! To further convince you of the truth I have spoken, we invite you to send at least 5 trusted elders to travel with me for a year while I show them the Clan Corvo. They can verify I speak the truth.”

Fiach spent the next 2 weeks with the Sami elders and Shamans answering their questions as she complied a lexicon of their language for use in facilitating communication. After much discussion 7 elders, 5 men and 2 women accompanied Fiach.

Upon arriving in Levanger, Fiach asked for a vow of secrecy which the Sami elders gave. Fiach then explained that she was, in fact, the original Demon Slayer... that she was 203 years old and that the Curse had frozen her physical maturation as she had been at that time. She went on to explain that her longevity was what made the Clan Corvo unique in human history. Wise great leaders often rose in human history, but their normal life spans required others to assume control when they died. In every case, within 2-3 generations the founders vision floundered and corrupted. The current situation in the Roman Empire was reflective evidence of that weakness. All too often a leader who started out doing what was right was corrupted by power and wealth becoming an autocratic megalomaniac. Since Fiach didn’t age and couldn’t be killed, she was able to carry her visions for the Clan Corvo to fruition over successive generations. Her greatest strength was her ability to listen to and take advice. She refused to separate herself from her people keeping a finger on the pulse of the people. For the first time in human history, she provided stability and open honest leadership.

When Fiach headed south in a 100 ton Caravel, the 7 Sami elders sailed with her. The size of the ship amazed them as did the open sea voyages. As they sailed Raben taught the Sami the Clan Corvo language including the rudimentaries of reading. They marveled at the magnetite compass that guided the ship to each island port along the newly established sea routes. Fiach explained the sailing pattern used by Corvus shipping. Whenever possible, the ships would land every 3 days to replenish supplies, spending a day in port doing so and making any needed ship repairs. Since nearly every port was 2-3 days apart, the system was easy to maintain.

After stopping at Gibraltar it was on to Ibiza and finally Zarbam and the Clan Corvo homeland of Barmaz. Upon seeing the massive stone fortifications the already amazed Sami were nearly speechless. Traveling through the country side they could see mile after mile of farms and clean, well kept villages. Adoring smiling faces greeted Fiach everywhere they went, convincing the Sami the Clan Corvo truly respected and even revered their clan leader. They In Barmaz proper they were stunned by the Clan Corvo University and the Corvus Scriptorium. There were too many tomes in the library to count. They saw everything Fiach had told them was accurate but even more awesome than she described. That she was recording their stories and legends as they traveled was a marvel to their oral traditions.

Just before the snows closed the Peoninus Mons they crossed the high mountain pass into Italy heading south into Rome to and Mazbar. Again they were stunned at the massive fortifications guarding the settlement. Fiach took then on a guided tour of Rome itself, showing them the grandeur as well as the extreme poverty. She explained the wealth and greatness of the Roman Empire came at the cost of the oft grinding poverty and subjugation of it’s own citizens.

Traveling on to Ostia they took ship to Stromboli, then on to Zawiyat/Minqar Rabih and finally Alexandria where they saw the Fortress surrounding Zamrab. They joined in the celebration of the new year. The hot dry desert wasteland was totally foreign to their experiences. They marveled at the ancient Egyptian monuments along the Nile. They returned to Barmaz arriving in mid February then back to Gibraltar by the end of the month.

When they left Gibraltar they headed to Madeira for a 2 day stay then on to the Azores for a 3 week tour, back to Maderia for another brief tour, then to the Savage Islands and on to the Canary Islands before heading back to Madeira before heading to Gibraltar in time to join the spring 365 colonial fleet.

Ibiza received 8000 colonists, Bel en Mer took 2000, the Isle of Man had the largest influx at 10,000, the Shetland Islands received 6050 colonists. The final 3000 colonists went all the way to Bazram. The Sami elders were impressed with the organization and skills of the Clan Corvo.

It was mid may when they returned to Snasa, the elders couldn’t get done telling how impressed they were by the Clan Corvo. The extent of the Clan Corvo boggled their minds but they confirmed the analogy Fiach used comparing the number of Clan members to the number of stars was quite apt. They enthusiastically recommended joining the Clan Corvo would be beneficial to the Sami.

Fiach repeated her urging of the Sami to join the Clan. She explained those who wanted could opt out of joining and would be allowed to keep their homes and lifestyles as long as they remained peaceful. Upon joining the Clan, the Sami would be allowed to move into other Clan Corvo areas. Their youth would be able to attend the Clan Corvo University. They were encouraged to join the Pathfinders learning to sail Clan Corvo ships and learning road building and similar skills.

For six weeks Raben traveled with the elders to dozens of settlements to talk with the Sami villagers. By the end of the summer over 10,000 Sami joined the Clan Corvo. The new area went north to the coastal islands of Nord Heroy {GM 65.972417, 12.268732} and Donna {GM 66.315970, 14.149496}, which are the entry point into the Ranfjorden which ends at the village of Mo I Rana {GM 66.315970, 14.149496} which is 1 mile south of the arctic circle.

Fiach then headed south reaching Gibraltar. The ship was being checked over and re-supplied while she checked out the progress on the site. A the dredging and mole construction had created a nice harbor. Cisterns and water capture channels were functioning. Tunnels were being dug into the rock. The old Greco-Roman altars and temples dedicated to Hercules were dismantled. The few complaints that action drew, coming from residents in the Roman ports across the bay, were quickly extinguished by reminding the complainers that Hercules was a false god in the era of Christianity.

Then things changed. Raven mail messages had been sent out to notify Fiach of a disaster. Just 35 days before, on July 21, 365, a massive earthquake shook the eastern Mediterranean sending destructive tsunamis crashing into the shores. Alexandria and the Nile delta were devastated but Zamrab had been spared. The Clan Corvo bases at Zawiyat/Minqar Rabih and Kardiotissa had been hit hard but with no loss of life.

Fiach immediately ordered a massive mobilization of the Corvus Shipping to take food, medicines, clothing, and lumber to the devastated areas. Fiach ordered repair fleets sent to Zawiyat/Minqar Rabih and Kardiotissa to rebuild the bases. She promptly took the fastest vessel available to Alexandria.

Time On My Hands

Chapter 48: 365-368 CE: Earthquake Orphans and Widows

A massive earthquake {estimated 8+} occurred at about sunrise with an epicenter near Crete. The earthquake caused an uplift of 30 feet on the southwest corner of the island tapering to no uplift 30 miles east. Nearly every town on the island was destroyed. What had been the coast was now well above the water line. Tremors of the earthquake were felt in North Africa, Egypt, Anatolia, through out Greece and the Aegean Islands and even Italy. It caused widespread destruction in central and southern Greece. Worse was the resultant tsunami that struck Libya, Egypt, Cyprus, Sicily, and Italy.

In Egypt most people were awakened in the pre-dawn by the tremors and rushed outside. Anchored ships in the harbor at Alexandria tipped over as the water near the coast suddenly receded. Many poor people rushed out to loot the hapless ships as well as scoop up stranded fish. The massive tsunami wave then roared in crushing many houses near the shore. Ships were carried over the sea walls. Some landed on top of buildings. In Alexandria itself, approximately 5,000 people lost their lives and 50,000 buildings were damaged or destroyed. The surrounding villages and towns suffered even greater destruction. Many were virtually wiped off the map. Outside the city in the flat Nile delta, 45,000 people were killed. In addition, the inundation by saltwater rendered farmland useless for years to come. The area’s shoreline was permanently changed by the disaster. The buildings of Alexandria’s Royal Quarter, the centuries old Ptolemaic home of Cleopatra, were overtaken by the sea following the tsunami, simply disappearing under the waves. In the region of the lagoon of al-Manzala, just east of the Delta between Damietta and Port Said, the previously rich farmland became a desert. Across the flat Nile Delta, the tsunami swept between 7 to 9 miles inland, the salt water contaminated the once fertile land for years.

When Fiach and the Corvus Shipping ships arrived in Alexandria, the devastation was still quite evident. Those who had survived were gathered in tent cities, their homes, fields, jobs swept away. Fiach promptly ordered the distribution of food supplies and clothing. Fiach had rushed supplies to Alexandria but it still took 3 weeks after the debacle to reach the shattered port. Nearly every structure had been damaged with many beyond repair. The tsunami was so devastating it left large ships on the roofs of some buildings. The canal/channelized Nile branch that flowed through Lake Mariout was ravaged but open. The city was rebuilding, but the going was slow since there was a dearth of needed building material and the population had been considerably reduced. The island Fiach had created in Lake Mariout to build the original Egyptian site of Corvus Scriptorium had been savaged. The building had collapsed, nearly washed away by the tsunami. Continuing upstream, she saw ships lying on their sides scattered in the debris filled fields of dead unharvestable crops up to 2 miles from the shore. The fields that should have been full of ripening grain were flattened and barren. The few clumps of grain that had not been washed away were brown and withered, poisoned by the salt water inundation that would take decades to leach out. Fortunately the current location of the Egyptian Corvus Scriptorium was unaffected by the tsunami although the apogee of the Tsunami flood was less than a half mile from the compound. A residual surge had swept past the docks but caused no harm.

Zamrab provided emergency rations and helped out as they could, providing succor to the dispossessed and injured. They acted as a clearing house reconnecting survivors. The supplies Fiach brought in were sorely needed. Zamrab also served as an orphanage for the children left parentless. Some of the parents who lost children adopted orphaned children. Those unadopted were brought into the Zamrab community as were many widows unable to support themselves and their children.

The repair fleets to Zawiyat/Minqar Rabih and Kardiotissa helped rebuild the port facilities. Additional supplies were brought to help the local population of Zawiyat rebuild their village and terraced fields. Food was provided as their crops had been devastated.

The tragedy made Fiach realize she needed to make more changes for the Clan Corvo to function as it should. Her personal morality as well as her Christianity would not allow her to ignore the plight of orphans and widows. The tsunami had not only effected Egypt, it had devastated many areas. Adults could, to a certain degree, look after themselves. Children however, especially the younger ones, were dependent on adults. Many widows had no marketable skills and were left destitute. When natural disasters strike or diseases ran rampant or during times of war many children and widows were simply abandoned to a horrible death of slow starvation or enslavement. As true devout Christians the Clan Corvo had an obligation to do what it could for widows and children left without bread winners and caregivers. Orphanages/poor houses needed to be established in every location. Barmaz and Barzam would be the main sites looking after the orphaned or abandoned children and widows. The other Clan locations would serve as collection points, sending the children on to Barmaz and Barzam. Fiach issued orders setting up orphanages/poor houses in all locations. All of Clan Corvo would be on the lookout for abandoned children and poverty-stricken widows. They let it be known they would take in and resettle widows and children in need, going so far as to pay the expenses of feeding and transporting the widows and children to the Clan Corvo collection points. They also made it clear the children and widows taken in were not destined for slavery or servitude, but would be fully integrated into the Clan Corvo. They also let it be known that families who had too many mouths to feed could turn their excess children over to the Clan.

Fiach stayed two months in Egypt helping to rebuild villages and feed the destitute. She dispatched relief ships throughout the eastern Mediterranean. The ships returned to Zarbam with destitute families, widows and orphans. Nearly 35,000 were brought to the port by the end of 365. Of these 25,000 were spread through Barmaz while 10,000 were sent to Ibiza. Even after that time, destitute families, widows and orphans came to the Clan Corvo begging to join the Clan.

Life for the Demon Slayer saw Fiach interested in the humanitarian side of things like growing the Clan Corvo. Raben took care of the physical growth of the colony, the military, and the political aspects. Fiach/Raben didn’t let her/his current role stop from doing what needed to be done. Raben could clearly see his apprehensions about the looming collapse of the Roman Empire were coming to fruition. Many of the Emperors came to power with good intentions only to have their efforts corrupted by megalomania. The same was true for many Christian leaders. With the constantly building turmoil both inside and outside the Roman Empire, things would eventually crash and burn.

Then Raben had an epiphany. Due to his time in Spain Raben had become quite aware of the deleterious effects of lead poisoning which included peripheral neuropathy, fatigue, irritability, impaired concentration, hearing loss, altered mental states, nausea, indigestion, and constipation. These were many of the symptoms the Roman Emperors exhibited near the end of their often too short lives.

The wealthy and powerful amongst the Romans desired heavily flavored food, but lacked sweetening agents. Honey worked, but a large amount of honey was necessary to sweeten and honey was often in short supply. Grapes, however, were plentiful. Roman winemakers found that boiling unfermented grape juice created a sweeter liquid known as defrutum or sapa. Defrutum was created by boiling off half the volume of wine, while sapa was the result of a reduction to one-third the original volume of wine. Romans used the sweeter liquids to improve the flavor of existing foods, preserve fruit and to resurrect sour wine. The boiling process involved long hours and high temperatures in large lead caldrons which caused lead to seep out of the container which inadvertently artificially sweetened the defrutum and sapa. However, this resulted in dangerous amounts of lead. Winemakers used lead containers over brass ones to boil down the compound when they noticed the lead pots yielded a sweeter flavor. A typical Roman might drink a liter of wine in a day, and, in doing so, ingest up to 20 mg of lead in the process. Romans learned how to make the crystalline form of lead acetate which forms a clear crystal similar to glucose or table salt. A lead derivative was included in 90 of the 450 recipes included in a 4th century Roman cook book. However the lower and middle classes could not afford the expense so were saved from a scourge.

Like many people even to this day, during times of stress alcohol consumption rose significantly. As a result, the wealthy and powerful, such as the Emperor, consumed huge amounts of lead. The stress of being Emperor naturally encouraged the consumption of the treated wine, with many becoming alcoholics. The effects of the lead only aggravated the natural paranoia the office engendered. The lead altered mental states also led to the prevalence of Alexander the Great syndrome. Unfortunately, there was little Raben could do to prevent the lead poisoning amongst people outside of Clan Corvo.

Valentinian I succeeded Jovian as Roman emperor. Upon becoming emperor he made his brother, Valens, co-emperor, giving him rule of the eastern provinces while Valentinian I retained the west. With Gaul having once more been stripped of troops to fill ranks of Julian’s ill fated Persian invasion, in 366 Gaul was again overrun by Alemanni hordes. The winter of 365-66 was colder than normal allowing the Rhine to freeze. The Alemanni freely crossed the frozen river and sacked the unprotected city of Moguntiacum {PD Mainz} killing many of the occupants. This forced Emperor Valentinian I to spend years repeating Julian's Gallic campaign.

Liberius, Bishop of Rome, died on September 21, 366. Factional fighting began between the supporters of anti-bishop Felix who had died a year earlier and supporters of Liberius. The factions met separately electing rival Bishops, Damasus I and Ursinus, both on October 1, 366. Because of the rioting mobs in Rome, in 367 Ursinus was banished by emperor Valentinian.

The Clan Corvo colonial fleets continued to sail. In 366 and 367 there were 2752 colonists sent to Ibiza, La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Caneria, Fuerteventura and Lanzerote. That put colonists on each of the Canary Islands. In addition, because of increased raiding by the Scotti from Hibernia on Britannia {PD Ireland}, which passed by the Isle of Man, a division of mounted Raven Raiders was sent to the Isle of Man, 6786 people, each year.

Roman troops in Britannia had been stripped by Magnentius during his attempted usurpation during 351-3. Replacement troops never made it past Gaul, nor did the money to pay the remaining troops. By 367 the troops along Hadrian’s Wall revolted and deserted allowing the Caledonian Picts to raid into Britain. Over those same years without effective Roman oversight, local officials grew greedy and corrupt. Many long unpaid Roman troops deserted. Local militias collapsed allowing many slaves to flee. The deserters and slaves combined into roving bands of brigands. Taking advantage of the chaos caused by the Alemanni resurgence, the Franks and Saxons began seaborne raids along the northern coast of Gaul and the southeastern coast of Britannia. Also taking advantage of the chaos the Scotti from Hibernia raided the western seacoasts. Raiding parties plundered across the length and breadth of Britannia as Roman control collapsed. A few of the larger cities held out but the countryside was ransacked and plundered.

Upon seeing the rapid influx of Clan Corvo colonists on the Isle of Man, the Scotti raided the colonists. They expected to find farmers and merchants fleeing or cowering before them. Instead they met armed resistance by everyone age 13 and older. It quickly became evident the defenders were well trained in fighting and tactics. Even worse was the swarms of Ravens and wolves that descended upon them, seemingly coordinated with the defenders. All attempts at flanking the defenders failed as they had been warned of the action. Then came the thundering charges of the mounted troops. The Scotti raiders had been expecting an easy raid found themselves being cut to ribbons. Nearly 75% of the invaders were killed or captured and enslaved. The remainder fled to their vessels only to discover the well armed vessels of Corvus Shipping blocking the harbor exit. The 2 Scotti vessels that managed to escape the harbor were pursued, 1 was sunk the other captured. Not one Scotti escaped.

A fleet of 20 Corvus Shipping vessels sailed into Loughshinny harbor 2 days later to where the Romans had established a small trading post on Drumanagh peninsula. The ships bristled with armed men and the on board onagers were uncovered. The Irish panicked, the women and children fleeing inland while the men grabbed weapons and prepared to fight. One ship drew withing hailing range of the docks.

“At this point we come in peace,” the leader shouted. “I have a message to spread amongst your people. I am General Abraham, governor and military commander of the Clan Corvo settlement on the Isle of Man. A Scotti fleet of 15 vessels attacked our settlement 3 days ago. You can spread the word that none of them will be returning. We killed or captured every man and sunk or captured every vessel. The 500 we captured are now our slaves. In 2 months they will be transported south 2700 miles to our homeland. If they cooperate, after 3 years they will be freed and allowed to join our Clan. If they are disobedient, they will be castrated and permanently enslaved. We will not ransom them.”

“If they have families, the families are welcome to join us as free persons,” General Abraham continued. “We will allow the slave to live with his family. Once his slavery is finished, they can all join the Clan Corvo. In addition, the widows and orphans of those Scotti killed in the raid will be offered sanctuary and welcomed and accepted into the Clan Corvo.”

“We have a list of those captured and killed along with the names of the ships sunk or captured,” General Abraham declared. “The Isle of Man is territory of the Clan Corvo. We want to be left in peace. We are open to trade and will provide shelter to ships during storms. We have a fleet of 150 ships such as those you see here base on the island. We have 20,000 mounted soldiers on the island. In addition, at age 13, every male and female joins our militia where they are trained as warriors. That means everyone age 13 and older are trained warriors. Those who dared raid us walked into a hornet’s nest of steel. Be warned, if there are any further raids there will be severe retaliation. We can summon 500 ships and 65,500 additional soldiers in 4 weeks and just as many every four weeks after that. We will utterly destroy every village that launched a vessel and kill or capture every person and animal in the area. Do not test us!”

“We will return in 3 weeks to pick up and families, widows or orphans who may wish to join us,” General Abraham added. “We welcome visitors. If you come in peace you will be welcomed, if you come to fight, we will give your last fight.” A rowboat was dispatched with a list of casualties from the raid.

The Scotti quickly learned to peacefully utilize the harbors on the Isle of Man as the Raven Raiders and armed Corvus Shipping vessels were readily visible and intimidating. In the end, 1200 Scotti women and children joined the Clan. All 1700 were relocated south to Ibiza.

In spring of 368 Valentinian dispatched General Theodosius to Britannia. Fortunately the invaders were more interested in plunder than fighting so moved about in small bands which fled back to their homelands or melted into the forests instead of fighting. Order was restored and defenses were rebuilt. However, the Roman hold on Britannia was steadily slipping away. The wealthy landowners were starting to field their own defense troops and had some arms available for the common people to assist in self defense. The holders of large estates were once more building log palisade forts on hilltops. The farmers and small villages sought refuge in the strongholds in times of trouble. The wealthy were building their own mini fiefdoms.

Raben and the Raven Raiders kept away from the intrigue and fighting doing their best to maintain a neutrality that treated all sides equally. The Alemanni and Franks recognized the Demon Slayer and the Clan Corvo were a very real threat and that Raben was content to let them live their lives as they wanted as long as they did not interfere with the interests of the Clan Corvo. The Franks had seen Raben in action and had heard from the Alemanni the ferocity of the Raven Raiders as well as the wolves, tigers, ravens and eagles. Both groups fully understood that as long as they didn’t mess with the Clan Corvo they would be treated fairly in all dealings with the Clan Corvo.

However, 363 had been the last year of the annual spring trading up the Rhine. The merchants of the empire had lost their military escort. Many merchants asked to be included in any future trade missions. Even more requests had come from those who lived along the route. In early 368 Raben sent messengers north along the Rhine letting everyone know the Raven Raiders would make one last trip to Colonia Agrippina starting in April. The purpose was to escort merchants but more importantly, anyone who wanted to join the Clan Corvo could join the convoy and return to Barmaz. Basically it was an open enrollment call.

As before 3 divisions of Raven Raiders accompanied the trading caravan heading north from Barmaz. In addition to the tough and disciplined Raven Raiders the tigers, wolves, eagles and ravens continued to strike fear into those who might consider attacking. That the Clan Corvo had the willing cooperation of wild animals while no one else could do so made the Clan Corvo’s claim they were blessed by the Christian God quite plausible. No one wanted to cross swords with the Clan Corvo.

Local merchants as well as a handful of national merchants regularly accompanied the Corvus Shipping caravans knowing they would be under the protection of the Raven Raiders. It was well known that Corvus Shipping charged a reasonable fee for every wagon and pack animal that accompanied a caravan. The merchants knew they had to follow the itinerary of the Corvus Shipping caravan or they’d be left behind.

The merchants thrived on the trip since it was well known to be the last trip guarded by the Raven Raiders. People along the route snapped up the trade goods. On the return, 33,000 war weary refugees abandoned their homes to join the last convoy eager for the chance to join the Clan Corvo.

The refugees were stunned upon seeing the massive defensive walls that surrounded Barmaz drove home the power and wealth of the Clan Corvo. Anyone seeing the walls and glacis knew thousands of hours of labor went into the construction. Those entering the province were intimidated by the massive gate complexes. That those guarding the gates could enforce the disarmament of travelers was mind boggling. The inter-province roads across Barmaz restricted travelers into what were nothing less than miles long kill-zones. They were amazed that there was no elite class, nor was there poverty.

Raben was quick to point out that Barmaz was NOT wealthy since so much was spent to pay for the construction of the defenses and eliminating poverty. Raben took the admonitions of the Christian writings to heart. His philosophy was best summed up in 1 Timothy 6: “These are the things you are to teach and insist on. If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain. But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness. Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called when you made your good confession in the presence of many witnesses.”

For Raben/Fiach, that last line hit home. He certainly had taken hold of eternal life. His exposure to the gods reinforced the truths and promises of Christianity. The problem was to stay the course and avoid temptation.

Everyone in the Clan Corvo had the chance to improve their place in life. Advancement was based on ability and drive. No one, not even Raben, lived in luxury. The top socioeconomic class was what would be considered comfortable middle class. The Emperors who came through Clan Corvo land were mystified by the lack of an upper class. The fact Raben, a Roman Senator and head of the Clan Corvo, lived like a commoner was beyond their comprehension. But it was the simple life he lived that served as the prime example for the entire clan. Raben/Fiach walked the talk.

It wasn’t unusual for Raben to spend time as Fiach. When he switched identities, it normally was for at least a full week, often several weeks. While much of how he lived in either role was the same, there were some significant differences as he found himself conforming at least somewhat to societal norms for his projected gender. The entire orphan/widow rescue appealed to Fiach. It was easier to deal with political matters as a male. Fortunately, being in the role of a particular gender did not limit the ability to react as the opposite. Fiach realized it was her maternal instincts that fostered cooperation and caring. Humanity was naturally inclined to help those in need. At the same time they tended to be greedy. When a person had adequate food, clothing and shelter greed becomes muted. When those things were in short supply or being threatened, greed flourished. The secret of the Clan Corvo was that they worked to insure everyone had adequate food, clothing and shelter.

They had developed what anthropologists would term a pervasive ‘Gifting’ culture. Humans find that giving things to others makes the giftees grateful and well disposed to the giver. In addition, the act of giving makes the giver feel good. The proverb of ‘It’s better to give than receive’ was quite true. To give you had to have enough to feel secure which leads to contentment and cohesiveness. The pervasiveness of the Gifting Culture was not the end of strife. The Clan Corvo practiced ‘radical inclusion' to help their neighbors yet understood people needed private space. Fiach realized that while giving felt good, it could become TOO important. Private time, alone time, was also needed, boundaries needed to be present to separate the public sharing from privacy. It was the balance between public and privacy that allowed the Clan Corvo to be so strong and resilient, to be open and yet closed. It gave everyone a sense of being part of something bigger and better than being alone and selfish.

Perhaps the strongest influence on the Clan Corvo was the gender duality of Raben/Fiach. Traditionally there were 2 types of clan/tribal leadership, both of which had strong and weak points. Those were Patriarchy and Matriarchy. Raben/Fiach very effectively combined them featuring the strong points of both which mitigated weak points.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 49: 368-378 CE: The Rat Patrol

One thing Raben practiced and insisted upon was, to the best that circumstances allowed, to never order someone to do things. He’d ask them to do something, often asking them to please do what he requested. He also made a point of thanking then for doing what he asked. In point of fact he made it a point to thank people for doing their jobs, publicly praising their actions. When it became necessary to reprimand someone, it was normally done gently and in private, with encouragement to do better. Only when a point needed to be driven home was a transgressor publicly disciplined. Treating people with kindness and respect cemented the Clan Corvo’s cohesiveness.

The port of Zarbam served Barmaz well. The defensive walls along the coasts were still in progress as were the walls on the inland borders. The port itself was continually expanding adding more docks and sheltered anchorages to handle the ever growing Corvus Shipping fleet. The 4 mile long Chanel de Caronte, the only route connecting the Etang de Berre to the Mediterranean was getting congested with the steady flow of vessels in and out. The plans called for defense walls on both sides with chains. That could be raised to block access. On windy days where sailing was difficult, the channel was too narrow for 2-way traffic. About 6 miles to the northwest of the channel were a group of smaller lagoons between the sea and the Etang de Berre.

At the village of Ranuet {GM 43.474521, 4.999148} construction began on a second channel. There was a low ridge 4000 feet wide with a maximum height of 160 feet separating the Etang de Berre from the much smaller Etang de Citis. The first step was to build a north/south bridge to keep the two sides connected {GM 43.474017, 4.995551}. At the lowest point on the center of the ridge 3 square pits were dug into the bedrock to a depth of 30 feet below sea level with a center distance of 165 feet. Pumps were used to keep the bottom of the pits dry. Stone piers 60 feet square were built to a height of 120 feet. A sturdy base pier was built to secure the land ends of the bridge. Wooden frames were erected atop the unexcavated areas between the 3 main piers and the base piers and 4 massive segmented stone arches constructed bridging the 105 feet span between the bases and piers at a 5.3:1 width per height ratio meaning the arch was 20 feet higher in the middle than it was at the piers. The roadway atop the bridge was 50 feet wide including railings 2 feet wide by 4 feet high on either side. When the bridge was completed the new channel, 30 feet deep by 270 feet wide, was dug connecting the two lagoons. The central pier arose from the center of the channel with navigable water 105 feet wide on either side. The two central arches were 90 feet above the water level at the piers and 110 feet high in the center of the arch. The sides of the channel were excavated on a 45° angle. Needless to say the project took several years to complete.

A similar north/south bridge {GM 43.464741, 4.980685} and 750 feet long channel was built to connected Etang de Citis and Etang de Lavalduc. The connection between Etang de Lavaduc and Etang d’Engrenier was made with an east/west bridge {GM 43.451436, 4.971800} and a 1500 feet long nearly sea level channel. A last east/west bridge {GM 43.435421, 4.975385} with a 4500 feet long nearly sea level channel reached the sea {GM 43.425245, 4.970155}. That last bit would be sinuous with defensive walls on both sides with chains that could be raised to block the channel.

The soil excavated from the first two channels was hauled around to the Etang de l’Estomac to fill in the area behind the defensive walls built across that lagoon to build a 400 feet wide land bridge connecting Fos sur Mer with La Merindole. Small water channels were built to allow sea water into this lagoon which was reworked to be a massive salt evaporation pond.

By 368, the Clan Corvo Fleet was huge. They had 4 different ship styles, the single mast, no deck, 24 ton, 25 passenger, 10 men crew clinker {Norse}, the 2 mast, 1 deck, 100 ton, 50 passenger, 15 men crew caravel, the 3 mast, 2 deck, 180 ton, 120 passenger, 30 men crew caravel, and the 3 mast, 3 deck, 360 ton, 250 passenger, 35 men crew caravel. Based at Ramzab were 30 clinkers, 30 - 100 ton caravels and 10 - 180 ton caravels with crewing of 1050. Based at Bazram were 276 clinkers and 20 - 100 ton caravels with crewing of 2310. Azores and Canary each had 45 clinkers, 30 100 ton caravels and 5 - 180 ton caravels with crewing of 1050 based in those archipelagos. The main fleet was based at Zarbam, the primary port, with 30 clinkers, 202 - 100 ton caravels, 228 - 180 ton caravels and 102 - 360 ton caravels with total crewing of 14,370.

As Raben was examining the port he was amazed at how the rats had infested the docking quay and warehouses as well as other buildings. Checking the walls revealed the presence of numerous rat nests. Even worse were the fleas and ticks that infested the rats and their nests. Rats, fleas and ticks were unavoidable pests present everywhere, even on ships used to cross the Mediterranean. But then ports were not known for their cleanliness. The waters were usually polluted with garbage, human and animal waste, and other detritus of human life. It was quite common in the crowded cities and towns for people to simply dump their waste in the streets. The only time the streets were cleaned was when it rained hard enough to wash the waste into the nearest stream. Even if a town had sewers, they simply emptied into the streams. All those streams eventually reached the port supplying the interior areas. Since most ports were protected by jetties, the normal cleansing of tides was hindered so the garbage floated about until it rotted and sank. The ships and sailors visiting a port had no ownership in keeping it tidy.

Rats and mice thrived in the garbage. Since they ran freely after dark, it was not uncommon for foraging rats to roam the docks and venture onto ships. The open Norse ships had virtually no rats as there was no place for the rodents to hide. Always thinking, Raben realized that whenever rat populations swelled, diseases, especially plagues inevitably followed. In addition, the plagues lasted until the swelling rat population rapidly dropped due to lack of food because of the massive human deaths or because of the harsh cold of winters. While rats had always disgusted him, he’d never made the connection they could be a direct vector in plagues and epidemics. As an Ianuaran he knew that cleanliness in living and keeping wounds clean avoided many diseases. It only made sense rat infestations fostered disease.

Fortunately Raben had set high standards of cleanliness for the Clan Corvo. Dumping human waste and garbage in the streets was verboten. It was common practice that everything that could be was composted. If a building had no space to do their own composting, it was collected and put in community compost. Air dried compost was spread on the fields or used as potting soil to start new plants. Bags of compost were used to fill the holes excavated to plant trees giving the saplings an initial boost.

Dogs and cats were common in all communities not only as pets but to keep the rodents under control throughout most of the Clan Corvo territory. Gathering the Raven Raiders stationed in Zarbam, Raben explained the need to wage all out war on the rats and mice. The tigers, wolves, eagles and ravens with their handlers were pressed into service. Raben gave them the task of eliminating rats. Not only did he explain his plans to the humans, he stressed the need to eliminate the rats to the animals. The animals and humans worked as teams. Some would surround a building then search for rat signs. When a rat sign was spotted, they would erect barriers to keep them from escaping then rip floors or walls or roofs apart to clean them out. The wolves and tigers were able to sniff the rat trails and nests. If the nest was inaccessible, fires were built in special ovens with the oxygen depleted and noxious gasses drawn off the top and pumped by bellows into the cracks and crevices to suffocate the rats, fleas and ticks. They watched to see where smoke escaped and set up additional ovens to pump more of the poisonous gases into the hiding spots. Then a cement slurry was forced into the crevices and cracks to seal the hidden nests. In new construction, attention was paid to make sure no voids were left. Cement was used to fill any and all potential voids. Once cleaned, the buildings were rat and mouse proofed before moving onto the next building. In this way they systematically eliminated the vermin.

Raben drew up protocols to control rats and thus fleas and ticks during construction or renovations. He established the Rat Patrol, a civil force of ratcatchers using cats, smaller dogs and ferrets. They would be posted at every gate complex and harbor in Clan Corvo controlled areas. Their job included inspecting all incoming ships, barges and wagons. When the dogs or ferrets picked up a rat scent, specially created rat proof portable walls were assembled that could be snapped together around parked wagons or docked vessels including special rafts to box in the water sides of vessels. Then the ferrets went on search and destroy missions while the dogs guarded against escapees.

Raben helped train the Rat Patrol which were then spread to all locations of the Clan Corvo. Building standards were established incorporating rat proofing. The border walls of Barmaz, Mazbar and Zamrab were checked and upgraded. Entre-points were upgraded to include rat proof isolation areas for incoming wagons/ships/barges with units of the Rat Patrol providing experienced inspectors and ratters to stop rat infiltration. Clan members were instructed to report any sign of rats to the Raven Raiders. Each ship had an assigned sailor doubling as part of the Rat Patrol with a cat, dog and ferret as part of the crew to keep the vessels as rat free as possible.

At the same time Raben decided to establish a formal research and development department of the Clan Corvo University. The study of breeding plants and animals would be formalized and documented. Several objectives were on the table. Botanically they wanted to breed or hybridize crops and trees suited for the varying climates of Barmaz, Bazram and Madeira, Azores and Canary to give the best crop yields. They wanted to do the same for animals, breeding for best wool, meat, and dairy for the varying climates. In addition they wanted to breed a dedicated dog to be the best ratter possible. Wolves were also bred to create a fierce loyal war canid that would be easier to handle than the wild wolves. The same was to be done with the tigers. The Arabian horses were to bred as fearless war horses for the Raven Raiders. Other horses were to be breed to become draft horses. Base herds of Aurochs and tarpans were kept pure but were also crossbred with other cattle and horses to create sturdier animals.

The colonization continued with the distribution for 368 being 5003 to Ibiza and 4000 each to La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. For 369 the distribution was 6850 to Ibiza and 4000 each to La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. For 370 the distribution was 5204 to Ibiza and 4500 each to La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. For 371 the distribution was 5801 to Ibiza, La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. For 372 the distribution was 5808 to Ibiza and 5806 each to La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. For 373 and 374 the distribution was 5836 to Ibiza and 5834 each to La Palma, La Gomera, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. For 375 the distribution was 5839 to Ibiza and 5835 each to La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote.

The year 375 was another significant date for Raben. It was the bicentennial of his acquiring the Curse. At times he wondered what his life would have been like if he had not killed Marcellus Longinus all those years ago. Would he have matured into a man or a woman? Would he have married and had children? What was it like to grow old? The answers to those questions could never be answered. The past could not be changed, only the future. That was Raben’s goal, to rewrite the future, to help his kin not only survive but to thrive. The cohesiveness of the Clan Corvo was the world’s best hope of preserving and growing knowledge.

Emperor Valentinian, in charge of the western half of the empire, was an arrogant man who often refused to personally meet with barbarian delegates to negotiate peace. He much preferred having his underlings handle such matters. This offended the barbarian delegates who often broke off negotiations. Because of this the emperor was never able to fully subdue the barbarians. One fire would be put out but another broke out somewhere else. The mess in Britannia was followed by rebellion of the Berbers in northwest Africa which was followed by Quadi and Sarmations incursions along the upper Danube. Valentinian led the troops crossing the Danube forcing the Quadi to seek terms. A deputation from the Quadi agreed that in return for supplying fresh recruits to the Roman army, the Quadi were to be allowed to leave in peace. However, before the envoys left they were granted an audience with Valentinian. The envoys insisted that the conflict was caused by the building of Roman forts in their lands. Furthermore individual bands of Quadi were not necessarily bound to the rule of the chiefs who had made treaties with the Romans and thus might raid the Romans at any time. The attitude of the envoys so enraged Valentinian that while raging and yelling at them he suffered a stroke dying on November 17, 375. His generals appointed his son Gratian, 15 as a co-emperor with responsibility for Britania, Gaul and Hispania. His younger son Valentinian II, 4, became co-emperor with responsibility for Italy and North Africa. Of course both were under the influence of their Generals and Bishops.

Seeing the swelling chaos on the borders of the Empire as well as the internal political and religious bickering, Raben recognized there were new vicious players in the slowly crumbling life of the great Roman Empire. The number of border guards for Barmaz were increased. The raven and eagle overwatch covered 20 miles outside the borders of the Province of Barmaz. With Raben's concerns about the turmoil outside the province the overwatch distance was expanded to 50 miles.

Raben took a tour of the Raven Raider bases in the province of Barmaz. Each of the 15 border gate complexes, each of the 11 border bridge gate complexes and each of the 2 harbor gate complexes at Zarbam had a division of Raven Raiders based nearby. There were 5 Raven Raider bases for 2 divisions, each in strategic places within the province with divisions from these bases used for escort duty for Corvus Shipping caravans The 4 western harbor gate complexes on Lac Leman each had a brigade of Raven Raiders stationed nearby while the harbor gate complex at Port Valais where the Upper Rhone River entered Lac Leman had 2 brigades of Raven Raiders stationed nearby. That gave a Barmaz a total of 40 divisions of Raven Raiders, at 6786 people per division, that meant a total of 271,440 full time soldiers out of a provincial population of 1,455,825 or 1 out of 5.3 people.

One of the internal bases was at the last hamlet in the northeast corner of the province was Unterwassern. The mountains to the east, north and west were snow capped year round with glaciers on their flanks that were the sources of the chilly waters two streams. The Goneri flowed down a narrow valley from the southeast to meet the headwaters of the Rhone flowing down a narrow valley from the northwest. Their junction was in the midst of a 3000 feet long rocky moraine at the head of the cultivable upper Rhone River valley which ran southwest away from that point. The downstream end of the moraine was a 20 meter high 1250 feet long by 750 feet wide mound of millennia old deposited rock and earth. The streams ran through the moraine from the east around the north and down the west of the deposited hill. About once every twenty years after a winter of heavy snows the spring melts overwhelmed the streams and flooded the valley damaging or destroying the buildings. This fact was why the hamlet was named Unterwassern... underwater. Although there was no gate complex nearby, the location’s remoteness made it advisable for the Raven Raiders to establish a division sized base at the head of the valley. The base was constructed on the 20 meter high moraine mound keeping it above the floods {46.535359, 8.355945}. Like all bases it housed a roost for the eagles and ravens performing the overwatch in that region of the province. As part of the base construction they relocated the town onto the mound.

Raben felt the Clan Corvo was secure inside the province of Barmaz. In 375 there were over 1,455,825 people in Barmaz. Bazram in the north had grown to 140,079 people and the island of Madeira was capped at 240,000 people, the Azores were capped at 257,000 and the Canaries had 303,864 people. Ibiza was at 116,248, the Isle of Man was capped at 60,000, the Shetland Islands were at 18,665, Belle en Mer was capped at 10,000, San Martino was capped at 1000, Mazbar and Zamrab were still capped at 2500, Marzab was capped at 500, Kardiotissa had 38, Gibraltar had 9055, Stomboli was at 1353 and Zawiyat was at 232 while Zarbam had a population of 37,970. This yielded a total population for the Clan Corvo of 2,654,329.

Valens, emperor of the east also faced multiple rebellions and border incursions. Things took a nasty turn. Due to a severe drought on the steppes of central Asia, the Huns began pushing west forcing the Germanic tribes of the Visigoths and Ostrogoths against the Danube border of Rome. Delegates were sent to Valens to request permission to cross the river with their people to escape the Huns.

Chronically low on troops, his advisors urged letting them in and tapping their men to fill the ranks of the legions. Over a million Goths crossed the Danube, of which 200,000 were warriors. Valens had ordered his governors to confiscate their weapons in an effort to keep the peace. However the troops responsible for taking the weapons accepted bribes from the Goths to let them keep their weapons. At the same time, greedy local Roman officials bought up all food reserves then proceeded to gouge the Goths with exorbitant prices for food. The turmoil resulted in the starving Goths revolting in early 377. They defeated the corrupt Roman officials and local troops and began to ransack the countryside.

While that was happening the colonists continued to relocate. For 376 the distribution was 5844 to Ibiza, La Palma, Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Fuerteventura and Lanzarote. For 377 the distribution was 7439 to Ibiza, Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura and 7438 to Lanzarote. For 378 the distribution was 7464 to Ibiza, Tenerife and Gran Canaria, with 7341 to Fuerteventura and 7463 to Lanzarote. For 379 the distribution was 12898 to Tenerife, Gran Canaria and Lanzarote.

For many months numerous fights and battles raged throughout Thrace between the Goths and the local Roman troops with neither side able to outnumber or outmaneuver the other so neither side was able to conclusively win. Valens brought in his army from the Persian front to crush the Goths. On August 9, 378 the Romans caught the Goths in their camp. Neither side was prepared for the major fight that loomed so they began negotiations. Negotiations collapsed in the early afternoon and battle began. The Romans initially had the upper hand but large groups of Goths who had been raiding had rushed to the camp and turned the tide of battle. Two thirds of the Roman troops perished in the savage fighting. Valens disappeared during the battle never to be found. It was assumed he’d been killed in the bloodbath leaving the eastern empire in dire straits. Neither side was able to continue fighting. The civilians, both barbarian and Roman, had suffered great deprivations and wholesale starvation was imminent.

Fiach led 4 divisions of Raven Raiders east from Aix-en-Provence heading east into the war zone. They were accompanied by over 500 wagons and teamsters loaded with food and supplies. Resupply arrangements had also been made through Zarbam to have ships sail to ports in the Balkans, Macedonia and Greece.

Although the Raven Raiders had traveled to Constantinople fifteen years before, many of those who had seen the unique troops were dead or relocated, replaced by the Goths. The flying overwatch of thousands of ravens spooked the Goths. The tigers and wolves striding with the mounted troops was something they’d never seen... but they all heard the stories of the Demon Slayer and Raven Raiders. Fiach rode at the head of the massive mounted column.

The Goths and the remnants of the local populations were worn out from the unending fighting. Nearly 50% of the male population had been killed. The women and children suffered because the fighting had limited the planting of crops and the fighting had destroyed a lot of what had been grown. None of the locals or Goths dared resist the fearsome Raven Raiders. They apprehensively watched as the disciplined Raven Raiders approached their location. May found it unnerving to see that a third of the fearsome warriors were women. The ancient tales of the brutal Amazon women warriors were whispered.

So it was with great apprehension that they didn’t attempt to fight the Raven Raiders. At each settlement or camp Fiach summoned the local leaders for a peaceful meeting. Most were anxious but their curiosity overcame their concerns. Each meeting was a slight variation of the same theme.

“I am Fiach Corvo, the Demon Slayer. These are the Raven Raiders, my personal troops,” Fiach announced only to see the Goths tense and reach for their weapons. Then she smiled and laughed. “I see you remember the Raven Raiders and the Demon Slayer. My grandfather was the Demon Slayer 34 years ago when he set forth with a company of Raven Raiders to capture aurochs and tarpans. That was 242 warriors. Some young Goth warriors decided to attack them and set out in pursuit. The Demon Slayer attacked their camp killing the guards and warning them to leave. They didn’t. The next day they met. Over 1000 Goths died without a single loss to the Raven Raiders. I have 27,144 Raven Raiders with me. Don’t even think about starting anything with us.”

The Goths had all heard the story of the lopsided battle. They also hear of the massive Alemanni defeat by the Raven Raiders. This girl was either crazy or utterly competent. They hesitated.

“I am the twin sister of Raben Corvo, together we are co-heads of the Clan Corvo from the Province of Barmaz. We are both direct descendants of the Demon Slayer, thus we can talk to and command the tigers, eagles, wolves and ravens. I am also an Ianuarian. The Clan Corvo is the descendant family of the original Demon Slayer and his siblings, They were members of the Germanic/Celtic Hermunduri tribe which was absorbed into the Alemanni. The Clan Corvo is aware of the ravages of the fighting and diseases that have occurred in this area. We are willing to adopt orphaned children and accept destitute widows and their children into our clan to give them a better chance at life. This is something our clan has done in the past. One hundred four years ago we absorbed 240,000 Alemanni after they were captured and destined for slavery after their defeat at the Battle of Mediolanum. We know you have orphans and destitute widows and their children. we will accept them offering them sanctuary.”

The leaders were suspicious. “How do we know you will not enslave them?”

“You have the word of the Clan Corvo and the Demon Slayer,” Fiach answered. “We do not need slaves, besides, with the cost of this expedition it would be cheaper to simply buy slaves.”

Still suspicious they asked, “Then why are you doing this?”

“The Clan Corvo is Christian and we try to do what we can to help others,” Fiach replied. “Christ commissioned his believers to help widows and orphans. That is our sole goal. It hurts our souls to allow widows and children to suffer when we can help. In return our clan grows stronger.”

Time on My Hands
Chapter 50: 378-385 CE: Another Grand Tour

Still unsure about the offer, “Is your clan so safe and strong it can absorb so many people?”

“Yes,” Fiach answered. “As I said, we are from the Roman province of Barmaz. Until recently the province was known as Alpes Graiae Et Poeninae. At the Battle of Argentoratum my brother led the Raven Riders to save the life of Emperor Julian and defeat the Alemanni. Emperor Julian offered us a reward of our choice if it was reasonable. Since everyone in our mountainous province is a member of the Clan Corvo, we requested the province be renamed to Barmaz, which was the location the clan began. Emperor Julian granted the name change of the province in 361. He was aware that the Clan already had complete control of the province politically, militarily, and religiously. The 4 divisions of Raven Raiders with me are part of our standing military of 44 full time divisions of mounted troops each with tigers, eagles, wolves and ravens. In addition at age thirteen every member of the Clan Corvo, male and female, joins our militia and are trained for combat to supplement the Raven Raiders. We have enclosed the borders of the province of Barmaz in walls fortifying every entrance and have made ourselves self sufficient.”

“You claim you are the Demon Slayer,” a man declared as he stepped forward. “We have heard the Demon Slayer was cursed and cannot be killed nor does he age. If that is so how can you be the Demon Slayer?”

“Those of us who are direct descendants of the first Demon Slayer can, if we are worthy, inherit the Curse, thus becoming Demon Slayers. The Curse allows a set of male/female twins to become Demon Slayers. The previous Demon Slayer must test their proposed successors before God. If God approves, the Curse passes from one to the other, freeing the previous, now former, Demon Slayer to resume aging and eventually die. Let me prove I’m the Demon Slayer.”

With that Fiach took a knife and made a long deep cut in her left forearm. The Goths could see her flesh spread open revealing the muscles. Her blood flowed freely as she held her arm out for all to see.

The Goths were stunned by her unflinching self mutilation. They were quite unnerved as they watched the blood stop and the nasty cut heal before their eyes. They murmured amongst themselves. The demonstration convinced them Fiach was a Demon Slayer.

Because of the violence and disease, many farms had been left derelict with the farmers dead, enslaved or emigrated. While the Goths tried to make use of the available farms, they didn’t have the background to successfully do so. The orphans and widows were putting a heavy drain on their ability to keep their families fed and clothed. Giving them to Fiach would ease the burden on the clans giving them breathing room. Yet at the same time would they be short changing their clan’s future? If they kept them how many would die of starvation? It was a double edged sword, the devil’s choice... until Fiach asked them if they’d mind taking the food and supplies from the wagons so there was room for the orphans and widows.

The outcome at each stop was similar. Orphans and widows with and without children were brought to the camp of the Raven Raiders. As the supplies in the wagons were dispensed they were replaced by human cargo. At the ports were the Corvus Shipping ships with supplies that had been sent, the cargo was swapped. Food and supplies came off the ships into wagons, widows and orphans moved from the wagons to the ships. The ships returned to Zarbam delivering the human cargo. Once in Barmaz the widows and children were interviewed to determine their needs and skills before being appropriately distributed throughout the province. They did their best to keep close relatives together.

Fiach spent a year traveling through the southeastern European regions south of the Danube and east of the Adriatic Sea. A bit over 251,000 widows and orphans were sent to Barmaz. {Historically, they died.} They were not only Goth and Roman but from multiple ethnic groups who lived or had traveled into the area. Many were of mixed ethnicity and thus ostracized. In Barmaz they were accepted. The Goths and Romans in the east began calling the Barmaz Church the Corvo Church

Since the time Raben had served as the first Bishop of Barmaz, the Christian Church in Barmaz had maintained an independence from the Church in Rome, affiliated but not submissive. The entirety of the Barmaz clergy were members of the Clan Corvo who looked to Raben/Fiach as the head of their Christian faith and followed the doctrine he espoused. In reality they were the truly had become the Corvo Church. This created even more friction between the Corvo Church and the Church of Rome. If asked the Clan Corvo shared the tenants of their faith but never tried to impose their doctrine outside the Clan Corvo. The Church of Rome didn’t like independence of the Corvo Church but was too weak to repress it. As long as the Corvo Church stayed inside the Clan Corvo, they let things be.

One of the things the Corvo Church clergy did was record keeping. Since the early days of the Clan Corvo keeping records was a priority. The birth date, baptism, marriage, divorce and death of everyone was recorded along with their spouses and children. This resulted in a massive family tree with the trunk starting with his mother, father and step father followed by himself, with no spouse or offspring, his 2 brothers and his half brother and sister and their 4 spouses. Everyone in the Clan Corvo was related back to the original 5 siblings via birth or marriage. The 251,000 people just adopted into the clan would marry a descendant. The records were kept as a history as well as to prevent intermarriage between close relatives, 1st cousins could not marry but 2nd cousins could. It also kept track of illnesses and diseases to aid in health treatments as well as to look for early diagnosis of hereditary issues.

Emperor Gratian, the sole remaining adult emperor was only 19 and overwhelmed by the debacle. After a lot of dithering, he appointed Theodosius co-emperor of the east on January 19, 379. By then Visigoths and their allies the Vandals, Taifals, Bastarnae and the native Carpians were well entrenched in the provinces of Dacia and eastern Pannonia Inferior having killed, driven out, enslaved or absorbed the local populations. The only remaining place to recruit troops was from amongst the very barbarians they were fighting along the borders which brought up matters of loyalty. After futile campaigns with inadequate forces Theodosius negotiated peace with the Visigoths in which they were established as Foederati, autonomous allies of the Empire, living south of the Danube, in Illyricum, within the empire's borders. The final treaties of October 382 permitted the Thervingian Goths, to settle in Thrace south of the Danube frontier, while the remaining Ostrogoths were settled in Asia-Minor, not initially subject to taxes, and allowed to govern themselves, on condition of supplying a fixed number of soldiers to serve in the Imperial armies.

On 27 February 380, together with Gratian and Valentinian II, Theodosius issued the Edict of Thessalonica which declared that Nicene Trinitarian Christianity is the only legitimate imperial religion and the only one entitled to call itself Catholic. Other Christians and pagans were labeled foolish madmen. This ended official state support for the traditional Roman polytheist religions and customs.

In November 380, two days after arriving in Constantinople, Theodosius expelled the non-Nicene bishop of Constantinople, and appointed new patriarchs of Antioch and Constantinople. In May 381, Theodosius summoned the First Council of Constantinople to repair the schism between East and West on the basis of Nicene orthodoxy. The council defined orthodoxy, including the mysterious Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, who, though equal to the Father, proceeded from Him, whereas the Son was 'begotten' of Him. The council also condemned numerous heresies and clarified jurisdictions of the state church of the Roman Empire aligning Christian hierarchy to the civil boundaries of dioceses and ruled that in Catholic religious matters, Constantinople was second in precedence to Rome.

Gratian, under the influence of his chief advisor the Bishop of Milan, Ambrose, took active steps to repress pagan worship. This brought to an end a period of widespread interreligious tolerance. In 382 Gratian declared that all of the Pagan temples and shrines were to be confiscated by the government and that all income was to go to the royal treasury. He ordered the removal of the Altar of Victory from the Senate House at Rome, despite protests of the pagan members of the Senate confiscating its revenues in the process. Pagan Senators responded by sending an appeal to Gratian, reminding him that as emperor he was still the Pontifex Maximus {greatest priest} of the Roman religious pantheon of faiths and that it was his duty to see that the ancestral Pagan rites were properly performed. They appealed to Gratian to restore the Altar of Victory and the rights and privileges of the Vestal Virgins and other priestly colleges. Gratian renounced the title, office, and insignia of the Pontifex Maximus, thus effectively eliminating the official Imperial sanctioning of pagan faiths.

Gratian didn’t object as the Catholic Church appropriated the renounced title for the Bishop of Rome. Bishop of Rome, Damasus, became the first non-emperor Pontifax Maximus, the 1st official Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. Pope Damasus presided over the Council of Rome of 382 that determined a complete list of the canonical books of both the Old Testament and the New Testament the official list of Sacred Scripture. St. Jerome came to Rome for the Council and stayed as the Pope’s confidential secretary. Jerome spent three years (382–385) in Rome in close discussion with Pope Damasus and the leading Christians in order to put an end to the marked divergences in the western texts of that period. Damasus encouraged the highly respected scholar Jerome to revise the available Latin versions of the Bible into a more accurate Latin on the basis of the Greek New Testament and the Septuagint, resulting in the Vulgate Bible. Pope Damasus died December 7, 384 succeeded by Pope Siricius on December 17.

Despite his support of Christianity, Gratian sank into debauchery which angered his Roman troops. A Roman general named Magnus Maximus took advantage of this feeling to revolt in Britain and invaded Gaul with a large army. Gratian, who was then in Parisius {PD Paris}, was deserted by his troops and fled to Lugdunum {PD Lyon} where he was assassinated on 25 August 383. After negotiations with Theodosius, Maximus was made emperor in Britannia and Gaul in 384 while Valentinian II retained Italy, Pannonia, Hispania, and Africa.

A Raven Mail message from Bazram arrived in December. Svenn asked Raben to come north to take a grandson on a ‘grand tour’. While he was in good health at 63 he wanted to make sure his selected successor was better prepared to take over Bazram than he had been.

The colonization continued with the distribution for 380 with Tenerife and Gran Canaria taking 13139 and Lanzarote taking 13,140. For 381, 14,099 went to Tenerife, Gran Canaria, and Lanzarote. For 382 Tenerife and Gran Canaria took 14,099 while 14,100 went to Lanzarote. For 383 Tenerife took 23,018, Gran Canaria took 23,017 and Lanzarote took 2104 capping that island. For 384 and 385, Tenerife took 22,570 and Gran Canaria took 22,569.

The situation along the Via Germanica and the Rhine frontier was steadily deteriorating. While large mass invasions were not occurring, intense brief raids were growing to be normal. The raiders made sure to bypass the Rhine fortifications when they crossed. The troops were too thinly spread to chase down the small bands of raiders so the forts normally didn't pursue the raiders unless they threatened a fortification. Raben was glad he’d switched to sea routes.

Raben traveled north to Zarbam in late spring of 385. Their entry into Trondheim Fjord was greeted with smiles and welcomes. In the 21 years since his last visit much had changed. The population of Bazram was just above of 205,300. All of those who had attended the 364 Thing and their families were now members of the Clan Corvo or related to someone who was a member. The Sami were integrating well with those living above the Arctic Circle starting to join. Zarbam’s northern border had moved up 72 miles to a line from the coastal village of Boda on the north side of Saltfjord, inland 27 miles on the adjoining Skjerstadfjorden to Fauska and 20 miles further to Sulitjelma on the northern shore of Lake Langvatnet bringing in another 5000 new Clan members.

Bazram related people now controlled the shores of Trondheim Fjord. The Raven Raiders had several observation posts on both sides of the 2 mile wide entrance with ravens for overwatch and wolves for hearing and scent detection during foggy conditions. Roads and bridges were built connecting the extended farmsteads. Most commerce was done by ship and fishing was a major endeavor. There were 446 ships in the Bazram fleet, from wider higher Caravel merchant men to sleek Clinker raiders with the fishing vessels between the two. There were also additional smaller vessels strictly for short inner fjord use. Hundreds of Clan Corvo vessels plied the waters of the fjord. Currently, the shipyard was producing a vessel every week and there was ancillary rope makers and canvas makers.

Raben met Svenn’s 16 year old grandson Ollie. The teen was already 6 feet tall and close to 250 pounds of solid muscle with a quick wit and obvious intellect. They set sail at the beginning of August. By this time the harbors on each island along the Corvus Shipping ocean route had been developed and fortified with full time guards and raven overwatch. Any raiders attempting to attack would pay dearly. Raven mail communication could also summon prompt reinforcements.

As they sailed Ollie asked why they established the longer sea route abandoning the overland route along the Rhine.

“The Rhine River is the border of the Roman Empire,” Raben explained. “The Romans call the people living on the east side barbarians. I was born there and that’s where I acquired the Curse. There are other peoples, entire tribes, from much further east, migrating west pushing everyone west. The Romans won’t let them cross, or at that’s what they try to do. The west side of the river is wealthy with plenty of fields. The people on the other side periodically cross to ravage the land and settlements which is why the settlements are walled.”

Ollie nodded. “If Rome is so powerful, can’t they stop them?”

“They’ve tried, repeatedly,” Raben sighed. “There have been battles for nearly 300 years. I led 3 divisions of Raven Raiders 27 years ago to rescue Emperor Julian at the Battle of Argentoratum. Thousands died that day. The problem is the pressure on the rear of the tribes doesn’t let up. My tribe was destroyed and the survivors absorbed by other tribes. It’s still going on, border tribes are killed off with the survivors being absorbed by the newcomers. Some people have been allowed to cross the border and settle in the empire. I did so on my own, then later brought my mother and siblings over. But there is only so much room over here and too many people over there. The conflict never stops. For years I’d been sending 3 divisions of Raven Raiders, 20,358 men and ravens with their wolves and tigers with the trading caravans to meet the iron shipments to protect them from raids.”

Ollie was surprised. “So the Romans can’t stop the raids?”

“No, they can’t,” Raben said. “The Empire has other borders where barbarians are constantly threatening invasions or are making raids. The military is constantly stretched thin, only able to stop invasions by drawing soldiers from one area to the trouble spot which leaves the area thinly manned.”

“Okay,” Ollie said. “Is that what happened along the Rhine?”

“Partially,” Raben shook his head. “A lot of soldiers have died in battles between emperors or want to be emperors.”

Ollie was stunned. “They fight each other! I’m young but even I know that’s madness!”

“Precisely,” Raben agreed. “It’s why I do my best to ensure that everyone in the Clan Corvo is a relative and trained to fight. I can’t have children so I gathered my 2 brothers, my half brother and my half sister. The 5 of us share the same birth mother. Everyone in the Clan is a descendant of my mother or married to a relative which means their children will be relatives. You and everyone else are my nephews and nieces. You are all taught to read and write, you learn our past, our goals and our faith and morals. The biggest advantage we have over all other clans, tribes, and even the Roman Empire is me. Since I don’t age and can’t die, I am a steadying force, like a steering oar on a ship, guiding the Clan Corvo through the jagged rocks and surging surf while all others crash and break up on the unyielding shoals.”

Having been on many voyages, Ollie understood exactly what Raben was telling him. He had learned that Raben never aged nor could be killed but hadn’t fully comprehended what that meant. He knew that his grandfather had chosen him to accompany Raben on a tour of Clan Corvo as preparation for succeeding the him as leader of Bazram. He was beginning to realize just what an honor it was to be selected to be a Clan Corvo leader and how much he could learn from Raben.

After 4 weeks traveling south, spending 2 days checking out the harbors and defenses of the island bases they reached Zarbam. As they approached the harbor entrance Ollie was stunned to see the massive defenses built righ on the coast making landings of any kind impossible. The harbor entrance itself was a kill zone with towering walls on all sides creating massive kill zones. Once into the Etang de Berre Ollie couldn’t believe the size of the harbor. There had to be over a thousand docks! Massive warehouses lined the shores and a veritable city rose from the hills. When Raben told him over 50,000 people lived within 5 miles around the harbor, Ollie was again shocked. That was equal to 1/4 of the entire population of Bazram!

Raben guided him northeast to the gate complex by Aix-en-Province the entrance to Barmaz from the area of Marseilles. As they headed east Ollie was stunned to see the bigger fortifications than he could ever have imagined. Closer still he could see the walls and massive glacis disappearing into the distance along the ridges and through the valleys. The teen’s mouth hung open in utter awe as he saw the immensity of the walls. The twin guard towers outside the massive entrance gate complex seemed insignificant by comparison. Imagining attacking through the walled kill-zone made him uneasy. The experience made him glad he was not an attacker.

Once inside the fortifications, the view of the fields revealed the fertility of Barmaz. Upon reaching the Vieze the rode up the steep entry road into the walled protection of Barmaz Baliwick. The terraced fields with irrigation trenches demonstrated how humanity could alter the landscape for the betterment of humanity. The buildings built into the slopes to save precious farmland and finally the massive building of the Corvus Scriptorium and Clan Corvo University amazed Ollie. The shear size of the library made the youth feel insignificant. They spent several weeks touring the province of Barmaz. Seeing the herd of elephants in the zoo made a huge impression on the youth.

Raben called a council of the Barmaz leaders and elders which Ollie attended. When the meeting convened, Raben got right to the point. “The Clan Corvo is facing a long term dilemma we must address. The population of Barmaz has passed 1,778,000 which is 44% of our capacity for self sustaining human habitation. For many years the population has been growing at a steady rate of 2% per year. Each year we send 3000 people from here to Bazram and 26,000 people to the other colonies. When that is added to the excess population of the capped colonies, we are relocating 48,139 people each year. If we maintain our growth, by 491 Barmaz will reach it’s population cap.”
There was a lot of murmuring but they had been aware of the growing population and the ensuing problems. Thanks to Raben’s longevity the Clan Corvo had learned to plan for posterity, not just their personal welfare, but for the continuing welfare of their descendants.

“We’ve always had a handful of disgruntled members leave,” Raben continued. “We allow them to go to seek their fortune in the wider world. Much like the Prodigal Son, about a third of them return after a few years. We will continue to allow those who return to the Clan to do so.”

“Right from the start we realized that asking for volunteers to relocate to colonies would not yield sufficient numbers. Raben explained. “As a result we established a lottery system to draft the needed people. All able bodied men and women between the ages of 16 and 30 are eligible for the draft. If the draftee is married, their spouse and children will automatically be included. If the extended family or a part of the extended family or even friends want to stay together, they can volunteer to join the draftee. The same will apply to the partner of those who have yet to marry. Doing that reduced the number of draftees needed.”

“The lottery is be based on the parish registries,” Raben continued. “The Church maintains birth, death and marriage records, both historical and current, for those living in their parish. When people move from one parish to another, a copy of the current record is forwarded to the parish the person moved into. When a draft is needed, each eligible record will be given a number. The numbers will be placed in a barrel, spun several times to mix them, then the parish priest will oversee a public drawing to ensure there is no cheating. If I discover anyone was left out of the draft or there was some other cheating, there will be hell to pay. Anyone found cheating or facilitating cheating will forfeit their Clan membership, be permanently enslaved and sent to the worst post that can be found.”

That brought a great deal of muttering and grousing.

“I’m appointing this August body to enforce the rules for the lottery,” Raben continued. “The guidelines will be reviewed after each lottery and if needed, adjustments made. You can issue exemptions for critical personnel, but I will have veto power over any exemptions. Any category of job or position that receives an exemption must be applied to everyone in similar positions. If someone is in training for a critical position or attending the Clan Corvo University, they can receive a deferment postponing their move until their training is complete. A deferment may be given if the draftee or spouse is at or past the sixth month of pregnancy.”

"Currently we have 3000 people heading north to Bazram. The rest are currently going to Gran Canaria and Tenerife in the Canary Islands."

“We need to find the last set of islands for colonization,” Raben declared. “They are located further south than the Canaries. However, we’ve searched nearly 600 miles south and west and found nothing. The ancient Phoenician writings have yet to be wrong so the islands must be further south. We have explored the African Atlantic coast from Gibraltar south for 1950 miles to a narrow peninsula that is the western most part of Africa. We followed the coast further south as it curved east for 1050 miles at which point the coast began heading northeast. We need to establish a base, on the African coast and I think the best place is centered on that Peninsula. The area is dry but several rivers are present as well as some native peoples. I want a take a division of Pathfinders and 3 divisions of Raven Raiders to establish the base. That means we need to transport over 27,000 people, animals and supplies in one fleet. Depending upon what we find I may want to establish a colony there. Doing so will depend upon defensibility.”

“This will require a great deal of work on your part,” Raben stated. “Our need for lumber is growing. Trees will need to be cut and transported to sawmills. We will continue to replace any felled trees. Our needs will be best met if we use trees from outside Barmaz. To do so we'll need to buy the rights to cut the trees. We need to make sure we have written signed documents from the landowners granting us permission to harvest and replant the trees. We should strip the regions outside the defenses replanting as we do so in order to stretch and preserve our own supply. Where possible cut near larger streams and rivers to float the trees downstream to Lac Leman then float them across the lake to Barmaz.”

Raben spent an hour answering questions. Ollie was beginning to understand the responsibility of leadership.

They traveled over the Poeninus Mons into Italy just before the snows closed the pass. As part of the tour of Rome Raben showed Ollie the churches and what would later become the famous burial catacombs of Rome. The splendors of Rome impressed Ollie but Raben made sure he also saw the seedier side of the great city, the graft and corruption, the steady decline of morality and the hopelessness of poverty and crowded slums. Mazbar, the walled compound of the Clan Corvo, stood out like a shining pillar of strength and purity in a sea of sloth.

“The defense walls around Mazbar are insufficient and it’s simply too small,” Raben explained to Ollie as he showed them the work he’d set in progress a year before. “The Alemanni and Franks broke through similar walls when they sacked the Roman Rhine forts. Over the years I’ve bought property adjoining the walls. I’ve had Corvus Construction work on new walls and defenses when they had available time. Now it’s time to have them not only work full time, but hire temporary laborers to assist.”

As Raben escorted Ollie around the property he showed how the original southern defensive wall ran east/northeast to west/southwest for 750 feet along the southern tip of the Mons Vaticanus toe then continued straight for an additional 3575 feet, a distance of 4325 feet. “Now that wall is being extended further west an additional 425 feet for a total length of 4750 feet. The western defensive wall has already been realigned in a north-south direction from the new end of the southern wall extending north along the undulating saddle of the ridge to the high point of 335 feet making it 5500 feet long. A new east-west northern defensive wall will be built 3000 feet across the valley to Mons Vaticanus. The northern defensive wall will then continue east-west across the top of 400 feet high Mons Vaticanus for another 3250 feet for a total length of 6250 feet. The new eastern defensive wall will run northeast-southwest along the sharp 100 feet high escarpment for 3500 feet to join the preexisting 1000 feet long escarpment eastern defensive wall for a total length of 4500 feet. The entire property will extend 500 feet past walls in all directions.”

“The remaining old 40 feet high by 25 feet wide defensive walls will be raised to 50 feet high and the width to 40 feet without disturbing the interior footprint where possible,” Raben told Ollie. “The new defensive walls are being built to the same dimensions. Watchtowers 20 feet wide by 40 feet deep by 20 feet high will be built at each corner and every 500 feet along the walls. As you can see stone for construction is being procured by excavating the 500 feet area outside the wall to an 85° angle from the base of the walls to create a glacis/moat. The excavations will be to a depth of 125 feet asl which at the highest hilltop will yield a 185 feet long glacis over a distance of 250 feet. The excavations will also be done directly through the Mon Vaticanus and along the base of the escarpment on the east and southern toe so there will be glacis and moat around the entire compound. As the height of the ground lowers, so will the length of the glacis. At the bottom of the inner glacis a flat bottom area 50 feet wide is being dug. An outer glacis is being cut from the bottom up to ground level over a distance of at least 200 feet. The shorter the inner glacis, the wider and lesser inclined the outer glacis will be. Since the lowest ground level is 175 feet asl, the shallowest moat depth will be 50 feet.”

“The no longer needed old defensive walls are being torn down using the material to build the new walls along with the excavated rocks from the glacis/moat,” Raben continued explaining as they toured the work in progress. “The only entrance will be by the southern toe of Mons Vaticanus. A wooden bridge will be built across the 500 feet wide chasm. Mons Vaticanus has been tunneled to increase storage for food and weapons. A separate tunnel has been constructed for the hazardous ammunition for the long range weapons.”

“The most arduous effort is the tunnel,” Raben declared. “Only Clan Corvo people are working on that. At the base of Mons Vaticanus just inside the new northern wall {GM 42.014853, 12.408714} they began digging twin tunnels heading north. One is 2 feet wide and 5 feet tall while the second tunnel is 10 feet away. That tunnel is 6 feet wide and 7 feet tall. Both dip down as they move north. Every 100 feet they cut a small connecting tunnel just big enough for a man to work. Airtight doors are at the entrances with large bellows between them that can be directed to either tunnel. The door of the tunnel they are digging is left open with the other tunnel sealed with the bellows pumping fresh air in. This creates air circulation. As the tunnels progress from one connecting tunnel to the next, the previous connecting tunnel is cemented shut which moves the air circulation deeper. The tunnels will be 8 3/4 miles long.”

After checking on how the tunnels were being dug, Raben took Ollie out to see the ‘useless’ land he’d purchased years before. “As you can see it’s a steep wooded valley that the stream has cut through the plateau of farmland. The Patrician family that owned it briefly wondered why anyone would want land that couldn't be farmed and was too isolated by the steep valley to be used to construct practical water driven mills but they were glad to finally be able to earn some money from the up until then worthless land so gave it no more thought. I purchased a mile long portion of the valley centered on the exit spot {GM 42.023941, 12.409772} the tunnels will exit, ostensibly as a wooded hunting preserve. The stream is the Cremera. At either end of my purchase the canyon is 1100 feet wide at the top varying in width to the narrowest at 640 feet in the center. The bottom of the valley is about 285 feet wide at the center. The tree covered sides rise at a 45° angle for 85 feet in altitude over a slope of 230 feet. As you can see I've already had a sturdy 3 feet high by 3 feet wide stone wall built along the top of the valley slopes to prevent farm animals from wondering in.”

They rode into the valley from the north to the narrowest point of the steep wooded valley where the tunnels would exit. “That is the spot where the tunnels will exit. I’ve created a pond by building a sturdy stone dam that was 5 feet high on the inside wall and is 6 feet high on the outside wall which is 30 feet away. A foot of sediment has already filled the pool. On the slopes where the tunnels will exit a rustic hunting lodge will be built with the tunnels opening into the basement via a concealed entrance. Short tunnels will be dug into the slope and a brass bell installed. When the tunnel gets close, I’ll have someone ring the bell at a set time every day. The enclosure and trees will muffle the sound so no one could hear it, but the sound will carry through the earth serving as a beacon for the tunnel rats. The smaller tunnel will be an aqueduct diverting 1/3 of the stream flow supplying water to Mazbar with the steady flow filling the moat to the 175 feet asl low spot where the excess would flow away. The exit of the larger tunnel will be a higher emergency exit/entrance.”

“Tunneling through rock must be difficult,” Ollie shook his head amazed at the effort it would take to complete the tunnels.

“It is difficult,” Raben agreed. “Fortunately much of the rock they are tunneling through is relatively soft volcanic tuff, the same rock used to construct the catacombs. Even so it will take many years to complete the tunnels.

Once more Ollie was blown away by the amount of planning Raben did to keep the Clan Corvo safe and prosperous.

In mid December Raben and Ollie traveled to Egypt and Zamrab. The hot dry climate, the sandy desert, the Nile, the ruins of Egypt’s lost grandeur were quite alien to anything Ollie knew. Ollie noted the Clan Corvo at Zamrab was an oasis of stability in the vast desert of societal decay.

From there they sailed northeast to Constantinople and the newest Corvus Scriptorium location, Marzab. The grandeur of that city impressed Ollie but the top heavy government of the Roman Empire revealed it’s propensity for corruption. The vast majority of people they met were concerned about the short term goal of personal prosperity often at the expense of others. That realization only demonstrated that Raben’s insistence upon honesty and openness in all things was far better.

They returned to Zarbam in time to catch a resupply fleet returning to Madeira. The trip through the Pillars of Hercules was impressive. The three days sailing across the open ocean was unnerving for the teen who was familiar with sailing but unaccustomed to being so far from land. The islands were impressive. Again Ollie witnessed how the terraces had transformed the steep hills into fertile farmland. The salt pans on Later Island {PD Porto Santo} were impressive. The isolation of the islands served as a natural defense. The population of the Madeira was capped at 240,000 people. The road around the island was complete as were several roads crossing across the Island. Settlements were established on the north shore of the island. Terraces for farming were built around each settlement, and each were constructing breakwaters to create small harbors. Larger harbors were being built on the northwest corner and on the south side of the eastern tip. A shipyard based on the one at Zarbam was part of that new harbor, a place building new ships with qualified shipbuilders. With abundant and well managed forests, getting enough wood was easy. With a fleet of 225 ships, they set up a schedule to pull the vessels out of the water for cleaning and repairs.

The biggest project in progress was the diversion of water from the north side of the island to the much dryer south side. Small channels were carved directly into the mountain sides, often in areas so steep the workers had to be lowered by rope to do the chiseling. The widest were only 3 feet wide by three feet deep. At places, it was easier to tunnel through a ridge instead of going around it. This resulted in tunnels and channels used in tandem at many places. Much of the water diversion efforts had to be done at the higher altitudes since the channels and tunnels were all gravity fed.

Ollie was quite impressed with the development and progress of the Madeira Ramzab colony. The transformation of the island from an uninhabited remote island to a lively much changed successful colony that now raised enough food they could export some in the span of just 55 years was amazing. The teen was quite intrigued with the water channels and tunnels that fed water to the irrigation channels in the fields.

Like many people, Ollie was entranced by the hydraulic fluidity of the water. Raben smiled as he watched the teen open and close the narrow wooden gates that were used to allow water to flow from a main water distribution channel to an irrigation channel via a short diversion channel. With the gate opened the water filled the short diversion channel to the height of the water in the main channel. When the gate was closed, the water maintained the same level. When the gate at the other end of the diversion channel was opened the water flowed into an irrigation channel lowering the water level in the diversion channel.

Raben gasped. An idea hit him, an idea that was so common sense... yet no one had ever made the intellectual leap. He had Ollie repeat the filling and emptying of the diversion channel. Raben began laughing which caused everyone to look at him as they wondered what he found so funny.

Raben had a man partially block the irrigation channel several feet past the distribution channel leaving a lower level of water in it. Then he dropped a stick into the main channel and the current of the water carried it downstream past the gate. “Imagine this stick is a boat in a river.” Retrieving the stick he had Ollie open the gate to flood the distribution channel but stopped him closing the connection. Then he placed the stick in the main channel. “The boat can now move into the side channel, a canal.” Raben guided the stick into the diversion channel, then closed the gate to the main channel. “The boat now floats in the canal, but we want it to go to the lower channel. So we open the next gate just a tiny bit to allow the water to slowly flow out into the lower channel of another canal.” They all watched as the water level dropped until it was equal to the water in the lower section. “Now we open this gate and the boat sails out. We just reverse the sequence to get a boat from a lower channel to a higher channel.” Which he proceeded to demonstrate.

Ollie was the first to see the significance. “You don’t have large enough streams here to make that practical, but in Barmaz... if you dig canals you could sail ships from Zarbam up to Lac Leman!”

The lights went off in everyone’s eyes as they realized the implications.

During the voyage back to Zarbam Ollie watched as Raben fleshed and sketched out his canal revelation. Canals were used but changing from one level to another was difficult and dangerous. The Romans dug through or around hills to maintain a level channel. The only way of going upstream was to physically drag a boat uphill through a rapid down flow of water.

Raben and Ollie returned to Zarbam with the next supply fleet. They traveled back to Barmaz to Champery where Raben gathered the engineering teachers and students from Corvo University. Taking them out to the irrigation channels he had quickly made a small model of a canal with the gates to lower or raise a boat. Everyone was gobsmacked by the simplicity of the idea as well as it’s implications. The idea of a boat traveling from the Mediterranean to Lac Leman was revolutionary. Raben assigned the engineers the task of making the concept work. They eagerly set to work.

During the winter Raben spent a lot of time with Ollie showing him details of the planning and logistics needed to insure the success and safety of the Clan Corvo. Ollie was amazed at just how much Raben did and continued to do to organize and coordinate all the functions of the Clan Corvo.

Another issue related to the population cap came into play. The growing tarpans and aurochs herds were occupying valuable grazing lands in numbers beyond the capacity of their assigned area. Currently there was no issue, but if they had failed crops or long cold winters, the situation would deteriorate. Raben decided the best solution was to create second herds of the Tarpans and Aurochs Sao Miguel, Azores where they could be released onto the unoccupied wilderness of the extinct volcanos and calderas. A pair of 360 ton ships could each transfer starter herds of 25 aurochs or tarpans with enough food to make it through the voyage.

In the spring of 386 Raben, Ollie, and the 3000 transferees sailed north. The voyage was accomplished without problems and those onboard were taught the basics of sailing.

Svenn was glad to see Ollie and Raben return. Ollie couldn’t get done raving about all he’d seen and learned. Moreover, he understood the honor bestowed upon him being selected to succeed his grandfather. The Grand Tour had been needed to tie him closer to the overall Clan Corvo and to give him goals for insuring the growth and success of Bazram.

After a month discussing the future plans and goals, Raben returned to Barmaz. The sea voyage avoided the still roiling borders of the empire. While there were no major barbarian incursions, there were many small raids and an unsettling tension along the borders. Raben made sure to continue to secure the safety of Clan Corvo. Part of that was to establish a colony on the west coast of Africa.

Three caravels, 2 mast, 100 ton, 52 feet long by 17 feet wide, had done the exploration of the African West Coast. They had stopped at Cape Vert on both legs of their trip. The locals had seen larger ships in the past as some Berber trading vessels occasionally visited so they had been cautious but friendly. There had been a bit of simple barter trading as the ships replenished supplies and water. They did discover the locals were quite interested in trading for salt.

That bit of knowledge collaborated news from Roman North Africa. Camels had been introduced into North Africa shortly after the reign of Emperor Severus. They had a great effect on the nomadic Berbers. While they had traveled through the Sahara Desert the advent of the camel into their lives revolutionized their movements. The ability of the camels to travel through sand was far superior to horses and donkeys, the camel could also carry far more with less water, go longer without water, and could eat almost anything. With the camel the Berbers were able to cross the Sahara from the Mediterranean to Sub-Saharan Africa. The trading routes were in their infancy but the trade enriched the Berbers and their Sub-Saharan African trading partners allowing the formation of proto nations in the formerly tribal and clan areas. One thing the Sub-Saharan Africans needed was salt... the Berbers were able to trade salt for it’s weight in gold.

The colonist distribution was altered for this year. The Raven Raiders and Pathfinders heading to Africa 27,154 people, were being considered as the initial African Colonists. That left 8993 going to Tenerife and 8992 to Gran Canaria. For the next few years all colonists would go to Africa.

The fleet gathered at Zarbam. Raben knew the area he was planning to occupy was inhabited so he intended to either impress the hell out of the locals or to scare the hell out of them. Most likely it would be both. With the men, horses, sheep, chickens, hogs and supplies and several tons of salt, 100 of the largest ships were the core of the fleet. The 150 feet long by 35 feet wide, 360 ton, 3 deck, 3 mast caravel ships would be daunting when compared to the local’s small wooden plank fishing boats and canoes the coastal locals used, the largest were 50 feet long by 7 feet wide while most were 30 feet long by 5 feet wide or 25 feet long by 4 feet wide. In addition 10 ships in the fleet would be 85 feet long by 22 feet wide, 180 ton, 3 mast caravels, 10 ships would be 52 feet long by 17 feet wide, 100 ton, 2 mast caravels and 25 ships would be 54 feet long by 12 feet wide, 24 ton, single mast clinkers for use in the rivers and streams.

The massive 145 vessel fleet set sail in mid August. The nearly 3 week voyage put them off Cape Vert the end of the first week of September in the early afternoon. Cape Vert is the westernmost point on continental Africa {GM 14.741013, -17.530495}, further west than any point in Europe. The fleet sailed south along the southwest angled coast around the point of Cape Vert then headed east into the protected bay. Cape Vert is the remnants of ancient much eroded volcanos, the highest point is 105 meters. This would be the beginning of the Clan Corvo colony of Senegal.

Starting at on the African Coast at the village of Kayar {GM 14.914361, -17.123954} the coast heads southwest for 31 miles to the Pointe des Almadies {GM 14.741036, -17.530566}, the western-most point on the continent. The point is shaped somewhat like the crown of a molar being 4000 feet across the top narrowing to the base over 3200 feet to a width of 2700 feet. From the point the coast heads southeast for 9.5 miles. About 2 miles down that stretch are the extinct volcanos, Deux Mamelles, the highest points in the region. At the end of the 9.5 mile stretch of coast was a semi-circular bay. Laying an imaginary line parallel to the northern coast it was 11 miles northeast across the bay with a radius of 5.5 miles to the shore yielding 16 miles of curving sandy beach to the village of Rufisque {GM 14.712289, -17.273136}. The shore continued to curve southeast for another 15 miles to an endpoint a half mile northeast of the village of Ndayane at GM 14.572158, -17.136467. The start point is 25 miles due north from there. There is a 24 acre habitable island with vegetation about 1000 feet off the north coast 3000 feet from the Pointe de Almadies. There is small uninhabitable island with vegetation about a mile west of the southern tip of the Cape Vert peninsula. A 45 acre habitable island is located a mile inside the bay slightly northeast of the southern tip of the peninsula. The entire peninsula is of highly weathered basalt rock that is only a few meters above sea level. The only exception is a slight plateau on the western ocean side of the peninsula around the remnant volcanos, the rest of the peninsula is relatively flat with encroaching sand dunes.

There were several small villages located around the bay. Their small boats and canoes were pulled up on the sandy beach. It was obvious they had seen the massive fleet as the beaches were crowded with the locals as they stared out at the mass of sails. Raben signaled the 360 ton caravels to drop anchor well into the bay but about a half mile off shore, enough to avoid running aground. The big vessels formed several lines but were far enough apart to avoid colliding if they swung about their anchor point. The smaller caravels anchored inside the lines of larger vessels. The clinkers shifted next to the 360 ton ships to begin the transfer of horses and soldiers of a company of Raven Raiders to ferry them to shore.

While that was happening, Raben stood on the forecastle of the 360 ton caravel anchored closest to a village built beside a small stream {GM 14.733789, -17.413475}. The people on shore were staring at the fleet with a great deal of apprehension. Raben was studying then. After fifteen minutes Raben announced he was going ashore, except for a pair of shorts, he stripped off his clothes. Unarmed, he dove off the bow sprint. Everyone on shore watched as he surfaced and swam toward the village. Several people on board the ships watched their leader but followed his orders to begin transferring a division of Raven Raiders ashore a company at a time. The division of Pathfinders would be the next to come ashore to set up a base camp.

As soon as he felt the sand, Raben stood and walked ashore. It was quite evident he was unarmed and unafraid. The men, armed with spears and clubs, formed a protective line on the shore as the women and children stayed well behind them. When he stepped from the water the leader of the group stepped forward with his spear pointed in the general direction of Raben and spoke. With his Curse imbued ability to understand languages and feel emotions Raben smiled.

The leader asked. “Who are you? Are you fleeing them? What do you want? What do they want?”

Raben replied in a clear calm voice. “My name is Raben. I am not fleeing. I came ashore to greet you. I am the head of the Clan Corvo. The ships and the men and women on board are my people. We come in peace but are quite capable of fighting. We are here to establish a base and a colony. In doing so we have no intentions of fighting you, conquering you, expelling you or killing you. We want you to join us and become part of the Clan Corvo. In doing so we will honor and incorporate your culture into ours.” Raben could feel their surprise that he could fluently speak and understand their language.

“How do you speak our language,” the leader asked. “You are still a child. How can you be the leader of these people?”

“I have been gifted by the Gods and spirits with a Curse,” Raben declared. “As I said we come in peace. But you should know that in single or multiple combat, I can defeat any of my warriors. I can do the same with you and your warriors. But I don’t want to fight. That is why I came ashore alone and unarmed. I know I have to prove that I speak the truth. One way to do that is by fighting. The question is are we going to fight or not? If we do fight are the fights to be to submission or to death. I would prefer to not to fight but if fighting is needed I’d prefer to fight to submission but am willing to fight to the death.”

The people were whispering amongst themselves as the leader spoke. “So you are afraid of dying?”

“Not in the least,” Raben smiled. “Amongst the gifts of my Curse is eternal life and youth. I can not be killed. Just 29 years ago I fought 100 armed warriors at once and killed them all. In my long life I have killed 843 men. I’ll even fight your armed warriors while unarmed. But I do not want to fight.”

The whispering and murmuring grew intense as they digested what Raben had told them. The leader frowned. “Now you lie. You were not even born 29 years ago.”

Raben laughed. “You forget I have been Cursed by the spirits. All curses have both good and bad aspects. As long as I have the Curse I do not age. That is both good and bad since I do not change as those around me age.”

That really caused the murmuring to ramp up.

“Let me prove I speak the truth,” Raben smiled. “If YOU desire to fight, I will fight your warriors. They can use their weapons and try to kill me. I will fight unarmed and not kill them. They will, however, be bruised.”

“So if we kill you your people will seek revenge against us,” the leader accused as they saw the clinker ships approach the shore a half mile away.

“They will not because they know I can not die,” Raben answered. “But there is another way to prove I speak the truth.”

The clinkers beached and the horses and men began to come ashore as Raben lilted his head back and loudly ‘KROCKED’. From every ship in the fleet ravens took wing krocking as they flew to Raben. Dozens landed on the sand surrounding him while 3 landed on his shoulders and head. Hundreds circled the area, all krocking noisily.

Like nearly everywhere around the world, ravens were recognized for their intelligence and thought of as harbingers of death or at least troubles. The locals were quite spooked by the unnatural spectacle and raucous noise.

Raben once more krocked and the ravens fell silent. Raben pointed to an open space nearby and the flying ravens began to land in that spot. “As you can see, I can command animals,” Raben declared. Then he barked and yipped several times.

To the surprise of the already anxious villagers, every dog in the village began barking and ran to Raben. With a nod from Raben, the dogs fell silent and sat in a semicircle about 10 feet before him. With a second nod the dogs laid down on the beach. The locals were totally spooked.

Raben then let out a loud ‘meorowl’. Immediately the village cats trotted from the village mewing in response. They made their way through the dogs to stand before Raben. With a nod of his head the cats stretched out on the sand.

Now the locals were totally gobsmacked and awed.

“I am Raben Corvo, head of the Clan Corvo, speaker to animals,” Raben spoke in a loud clear voice. “We are here to stay and invite you to join us. Together we can grow stronger. We bring knowledge and strength. You bring different knowledge and strengths. Together we will be unstoppable. Send messengers to your neighbors. Invite them to join us tomorrow for a welcoming feast so we can get to know each other.”

By then the clinker vessels were returning for another load of horses and troops. The first company had mounted their black Arabian horses and each troop formed a battle line while remaining at a safe distance. They patiently awaited Raben’s orders.

The locals could see the troops were armed and disciplined warriors. Raben held out an arm making a series of hand movements. In response, 1 troop road slowly forward stopping at the ravens still clustered on the sand. Now that the armed warriors were closer, the locals could see there were women mixed amongst the men which created more murmuring.

“The Clan Corvo makes no distinction between men and women,” Raben stated. “All people are equals. No one inherits a position or job, all are achieved by merit.”

That created frowns and negative murmuring amongst the locals. The leader finally asked, “What about your slaves?”

“We do have slaves,” Raben answered. “But they can earn their freedom. Once free they are openly accepted into our society and have chances to advance themselves.”

“That is unacceptable,” the leader indignantly pronounced. “No one can improve their station in life. What ever class you’re born into is where you remain. The lowest of the low are the slaves. They can never improve their station.”

“I see,” Raben sighed. “Then we have a major difference. Giving everyone a chance is part of our society. If you cannot accept that, then we have a large problem. Obviously, we’ll have to postpone our feast. Know that we are here to stay and we will expand and we will welcome any who wish to join us. I suggest you send runners to gather your warriors. We will be on our guard as we begin to establish and expand our base. If you want to fight us, we will oblige. Our forces are prepared to fight at any time.”

The ravens took wing, the cats and dogs rose to their feet. Raben turned to walk to where his soldiers were landing as the cats and dogs followed him. The locals were left speechless.

The leader of the locals was furious. He wanted to attack Raben but knew his 40 warriors were far outmatched by those already ashore. What these newcomers wanted would totally disrupt and possibly destroy their culture. The strangers had to be destroyed. They watched as the foreign forces continued coming ashore. Gathering his men he set guards to watch the newcomers then sent runners to gather the warriors from every village of their clan and as many as would come from the larger tribe. They packed their belongings and moved south to the neighboring village taking their canoes and boats along with their fishing nets, abandoning their village.

The ravens provided overwatch for the Clan Corvo, following the runners as they headed up and down the coast as well as inland. The Pathfinders secured water supplies and established sanitary facilities. The Raven Raiders prepared defensive positions. The construction of windmills along the north coast were begun, initially for sawmills to provide lumber. The supplies were off loaded from the ships and the base was established. After they were unloaded Raben sent all 100 of the 360 ton caravels back to Zarbam. Four raven messengers were dispatched back to Barmaz. Raben wanted the 386 colonists, all 40,211 of them, to come to Senegal. The construction of a long pier into the bay to allow the caravels to dock to unload was begun.

Over the next 2 days Raben gave orders to his generals as to how to prepare the base landward and seaward defenses. The ravens on overwatch were crucial to observing the locals. Raben created a short dictionary with pronunciation guide to enable others to communicate with the locals. Orders were given that if any natives approached in peace they were to be greeted in peace. Trading was not to be done but if people came seeking sanctuary they were to be allowed entry. The pathfinders were to prepare fields and plant crops so the colonists would have a food source. Then as night fell at the end of the second day, Raben slipped into the darkness accompanied by 20 ravens and 3 tigers.

Moving silently as only Raben could do, they began checking out the villages of the indigenous peoples. While awkward, Raben could ‘read’ the minds of ravens. In this way he could sort of ‘listen’ to human conversations they heard. The method was iffy, especially with an unfamiliar language, but Raben was able to use the information so gathered to flesh out other intelligence. With his raven overwatch he was able to travel during the day while avoiding being seen. With his ability to run for hours and live off the land, Raben was able to travel between the Senegal River nearly 100 miles to the north and the Gambia River a 100 miles to the south as well as a hundred miles inland.

Raben learned a lot. The tribe was gathering. Most villages had between 30 to 50 warriors although a few had around 100. The local people called themselves the Haalpulaar'en, which means ‘those who speak Pulaar’. They were a non-nomadic people living in fixed villages. Their livelihood was based on farming, fishing and raising cattle. Their society was patrilineal, polygynous and with high social stratification that included slavery and a strict caste system.

Their hierarchical social stratification was an economically closed system, which meant a marked inequality. Property and land was exclusively owned by the upper caste members. Occupations and caste memberships were inherited. The castes were within-group, segregated and intermarriage was rare. The highest status and smallest group among their five castes were the aristocratic leaders. The second caste was divided into 3 subclasses, with the highest being the administrators, then the traders and last the farmers. The third caste were the artisan castes, in 5 subclasses from highest to lowest being the smiths, pottery workers, griots or history singers, bards, and leather workers. The fourth caste strata was the slaves or descendants of slaves who have been freed.

The fifth and bottom caste strata was slaves but even this had 3 subclasses. The slaves were the largest strata making up about 50% of the population. The village slaves were a privileged servile group who lived apart from the village and took orders from the village chief. The domestic slaves lived with a family and could not be sold. The lowest level among slaves were the trade slaves who could be bought and sold. Within a caste, there could be movement between the subclasses, but each level looked down upon those who were lower so upward level changes were infrequent. Downward level changes were a lot more likely.

Raben discovered the entire Haalpulaar'en society was based on their strict caste system, so much so that each caste meekly accepted their lot in life. The slaves were not chained or otherwise physically restricted. Several times Raben contacted slaves promising them a warm welcome and escape from their grinding hopeless servitude. None accepted his offer of freedom. Several shouted out alarms creating brief pursuits but Raben easily outran those giving chase. After the pursuits, he witnessed slaves being armed with spears and trained in basic combat.

Raben also learned they were very in touch with the spiritual world. Haalpulaar'en society emphasized piety and respect for elders. Families included not only living people, but also associated ancestral spirits. At the larger, more powerful village Raben witnessed their public exorcism dances and rituals as they attempted to martial the spirits to destroy the strangers. They believed the spirits are either the souls of ancestors or occult forces. They believed all places were ‘owned’ by the spirits who ‘lived’ there. In order for living people to be able to live in a place where a spirit lives, it was necessary to have rites and religious ceremonies in order to establish a harmony between the community, and all the forces of creation, coming from the Divine plan.

As he traveled Raben was surprised to discover numerous stone circles similar to what he’d seen in Gaul and Britannia {ie Stonehenge}. The stone circles and other megaliths along with numerous tumuli and burial mounds were located on the northern side of the Gambia River. After extracting the raw stone from quarries, identical pillars were made, either cylindrical or polygonal, averaging 7.5 feet high weighing seven tons. After witnessing a ceremony at one site he understood the various stone circles were places of worship, prepared to facilitate harmonization for the cosmic compatibility of spirits, places, and humans to continue.

In the drier interior away from the ocean and rivers much of the land was savannah. Various types of antelopes, giraffes, spotted hyenas, lions, and elephants were common. The animals were quite wary of the 3 tigers as they were larger than the lions. The wildlife was confused by Raben. They had never met a human who was respectful but unafraid of them. With his empathetic abilities and his ability to ‘speak’ to them, they spent hours together as Raben explained he was the first of thousands of new humans who were establishing villages and that they would displace the current humans. More importantly, they would not hunt the animals as long as they avoided the human villages and plantings. Because they had been regularly hunted the animals had learned to avoid the humans. This human was quite different. He understood them and could talk to them. They were entranced as Raben played his flute.

On the savannah lions and hyenas were natural enemies. Both recognized the tigers were at the top of the carnivore hierarchy. Raben kept tight control of the tigers. With the exception of food needs, Raben kept the tigers from attacking. Raben recruited elephants, lions and hyenas to join him fighting their traditional human enemies. It took a tremendous effort to keep the carnivores from fighting.
After 4 weeks exploring the bush and observing villages, Raben returned to Dakar at the start of the second week of October. The locals keeping an eye on the invading strangers were quite stunned by what they saw. The child who had made initial contact was walking boldly toward them blithely playing a flute. The 3 tigers walked before him. Lions followed behind him, 8 young males and 26 female adults as well as 12 cubs, 3 neighboring prides Raben had gathered. Behind the lions followed nearly 100 adult spotted hyenas with their cubs from 2 clans. Lastly came the elephants, 27 adult females with a dozen adolescents. Overhead swarmed thousands of local brown neck ravens. The bizarre menagerie calmly strolled into the Clan Corvo compound. Raben made sure there was plenty of food available as they settled in to await the inevitable attack. Word of the bizarre parade swept through the tribe.

During his time exploring Raben had learned the locals called the Cape Vert peninsula ‘Dakar’. Dakhar is their name for the tamarind tree, a leguminous tree which produces a pod-like fruit that contains an edible pulp. The pulp is used in traditional medicine and as a metal polish. The wood can be used for woodworking, and tamarind seed oil can be extracted from the seeds. When the locals settled in the area they were impressed by the huge numbers of Tamarind trees they saw and thus named the area after it.

Raben had the Pathfinders and Raven Raiders continue to prepare for war. The 45 remaining ships were prepped for combat. The 20 caravels, were divided equally between 100 ton and 180 ton vessels. Each was armed with an onager on the forecastle and a scorpio on the quarterdeck. Dozens of firebombs and stones were handily available for each onager. Hundreds of oversized arrows, some hollow filled with flammable fluid, were ready for each scorpio. Each of the 25 clinkers were armed with an onager. They would face the canoes and small boats hopefully stopping them before they reach land. The ships were divided into 2 nearly equal fleets, one for the north side of Cape Vert and the other on the south bay side. Since there were an unequal number of clinker vessels, the extra boat was added to the bay fleet.

At it’s narrowest point the Dakar peninsula is 2.25 miles wide. In the center lying diagonally is a soggy wetland marsh with standing water 1.33 miles long by 0.5 miles wide. At the center of the wetlands it was 0.875 miles from the north and south shores. From each shore they dug a moat from a foot below the low tide line to a point 150 feet from the wetlands where it turned 90° to parallel the wetlands leaving an unobstructed 100 feet wide gap. The bottom of the moats were 20 feet wide and a foot below low tide so the bottom of the moats always had water in them. The excavated sand was thrown up forming a 20 feet high sand dune-like glacis on the Clan Corvo side. That was no problem in the sandy shore area but inland they encountered worn, weakened rock which they chiseled down below the level of the sea. The excavated rocks were used to form a crude but effective battlement at the top of the sandy glacis. Sturdy high wooden redoubts were built several feet above and behind the battlements as well as in the middle of the wetlands. A brigade of Pathfinders would man each redoubts behind the moats and in the wetlands. The Pathfinders were deadly archers who had swords and spears to repulse any attacker that breached the battlements.

Hundreds of cheval de frises, 10 feet long, 6 inch diameter logs with 1.5 inch diameter holes drilled through the log with 5 feet long sharpened stakes hammered through into it every 3 inches but each at a 90° angle creating a series of ‘X's protected the battlements and redoubts severely limiting access. One division of dismounted Raven Raiders were assigned to the battlements above the moats on each side. The front battlements were defended by 2 brigades while the side line of battlements were manned by 1 brigade. The brigades of the remaining division would be mounted. One brigade defending the north beach from flankers and water assault while a second brigade did the same for the south beach. The remaining brigade would function as a mobile reserve. The scorpios were set up in the redoubts for direct fire on the attackers. The onagers were set up behind the second trench to launch their stones and bombs on the attackers. Watchtowers were erected so observers could direct artillery fire. The target areas were ranged in.

Once the artillery was zeroed in, they laid waterlogged pre-prepared planks in the bottom of the moat. The planks were 4 inches thick and 6 inches wide. Holes no further than 3 inches apart had been drilled into the planks in zigzag patterns with sharpened 3/4 inch diameter spikes jammed into the holes. The spikes extended 4 inches above the planks. The extremely dangerous spikes were hidden by the water in the bottom of the moat.

Narrow swaths 100 feet wide were kept unobstructed between the moats/battlements/redoubts on both sides of the central wetlands. These were set up as kill zones. The plan was to stop the attackers at the moats to funnel the enemy into the unobstructed areas where they’d be compressed and easier targets for the artillery and archers. The wolves and tigers of the Raven Raiders as well as the lions and hyenas would take care of any warriors who managed to make it across the kill zones. The reserve mounted brigade of Raven Raiders waited behind the carnivores to provide backing if needed.

The land 2000 feet landward of the moats was cleared and leveled creating a no man’s land. As the prep work continued, ravens were always aloft watching the locals. As soon as anyone ventured towards the defenses, the ravens raised the alarm. In addition, the tigers, lions and hyenas took turns patrolling no man's land, especially after dark.

While the defensive work was underway Raben took five of the clinkers and sailed north to the Senegal River. Raben dove in the water swimming with the manatees. The large mammals were wary of humans and surprised that a human could communicate with them. The adult aquatic animals ranged between 12 to 15 feet in length and 650 to 790 pounds. Their normal swimming speed was between 3-5 mph with spurts up to 20 mph. The locals avoided the manatees but when opportunity arose, they did hunt them, usually when the manatees were in restricted areas. The manatees often shredded their fishing nets and over turned canoes and boats. The meat, oil, bones, and skin of the large mammals was highly prized. Raben spoke to them recruiting several dozen to swim south to Dakar to exact revenge on the humans who often hunted them. Raben then sailed south to the Saloum, Gambia and Casmance rivers to recruit manatees there.

There were several fresh water wet lands and lakes on the Cape Vert peninsula, the largest was in the center portion. While the manatees could swim up to 50 miles off shore, they needed fresh water to drink. Raben had a narrow canal dug from the main marshland to the south shore creating a small fresh water pool which allowed the manatees access to drinking water.

"We're facing religious fanatics," Raben explained as he addressed his massed forces upon his return. "They live by a strict caste system that binds their society like iron. They are utterly locked into their caste with no hope of escaping the limitations of their caste. It is so ingrained into their culture the idea of breaking the caste system is abhorrent. I spoke to slaves, offering them freedom, but every one refused. Several called out an alarm and I was chased. The leadership has even armed and are training the slaves to fight by their side. Their way of life is diametrically opposed to the culture of the Clan Corvo. We are in for one hell of a fight."

One of the women in the Raven Raiders asked, "Couldn't we just leave? Do we have the right to condemn their way of life?"

"I've given those questions a lot of thought," Raben answered. "To answer your first question, since we sent most of the fleet back for colonists, it's not possible to leave. It would take a minimum of 6-8 weeks to recall the vessels. As to whether we have the right to condemn their way of life, by our faith it is our obligation to help our fellow man, to ease their burdens. We've all seen the Clan Corvo way of life is superior to that of those who lived around us, both the Romans as well as the Barbarians. We've absorbed widows and orphans for well over a century and a quarter. The issue is not if our way of life is better, it is do we have the right to FORCE them to accept our ways. The answer is NO. We do NOT have the right to force them to join us. We have always asked people to join us allowing them to opt out and leave. It was not and is not our intention to force them to change. It is, however, their intention to destroy us. We will defend ourselves to the best of our ability. When we win, by THEIR standards, the losers become the slaves of the victors. If they win they will most certainly enslave any of us they capture. We will not lose. They will become our slaves. As slaves, we can order them to accept our ways. They are so enmeshed into their caste system that their existing culture will force them to meekly accept their fate as slaves allowing us to reshape their culture. We will absorb them while retaining their knowledge and skills. However, the fight will be intense and bloody. We will do our best to make sure it is not us who bleeds."

By the end of October the tribal warriors began to gather. More arrived each day. The frequent rains were tapering off as the area headed into the winter dry season. The locals had waited so long to gather their crops. That told Raben and his troops the locals were not stupid. The ravens reported in several times a day. The carnivores openly patrolling the no man’s land combined with the raven overwatch was effective in preventing the hostile locals from getting closer than their side of the no man’s land. A few spies who foolishly attempted to get closer to the defenses during the night became fresh meat for the carnivores. Their death screams let both the attackers and defenders know their grisly fate. The raven overwatch reported hundreds of canoes and boats coming from the Senegal River to the north and from the Saloum, Gambia and Casmance rivers to the south. By mid-November they had about 25,000 warriors and about 60,000 armed slaves.

The generals and Raben knew they’d attack after dawn at low tide so they could try to flank the trenches and the sun would be in the eyes of the defenders. They were not disappointed. Thanks to the raven overwatch they knew the attack was coming before they saw it.

The natives made what would be a deadly mistake. Their experience of warfare was either quick hit and run raids or formal battles where the opponents lined up, making shows of the bravery and fierceness before engaging. They had no concept of the all out war the Raven Raiders would wage.

Since the locals knew about the wetlands they attacked to either side of the swampy hazard. About 40,000 massed slaves, 20,000 to a side, were sent in against the battlements on both sides of the wetlands first. The attackers had no idea that the range on the compound bows of the Clan Corvo archers was 3 times that of their far more primitive bows. Since the ranges had been marked, as soon as the screaming attackers passed the mark the sky darkened with nearly 27,000 Clan Corvo arrows arching overhead. Since every Raven Raider and Pathfinder was a skilled archer and the attackers had not been given shields, they fell in droves. By the time they reached the moats 5 volleys had been fired. Only about 6,000 slaves on each side of the wetlands charged into the moats.
The slave’s already pell-mell charge disintegrated as they stumbled down the loose sandy slope into the moat. The front ranks were stopped cold as they charged into the water finding the hidden sharpened stakes with their bare feet. The screams of the attackers changed from the heated yells of attack to screams of pain and anguish. With skewered feet they couldn’t stand. Being pushed by those behind them they fell, further impaling themselves. Unable to halt their headlong charge those behind tried to avoid the water by stepping on those already down. The archers continued to rain arrows into the attackers. Most of those downed in the moat were still alive and thrashing which did nothing for the footing of those trying to use them as stepping stones. The screams and mass confusion bogged the charge down. The 20 feet wide watery moat turned red as the slaves fell. Those who succeeded in crossing the moat found the shifting sands of glacis slowed them. At best only 30 or so reached the cheval de frise protecting the battlements... none crossed.

In the narrow space between the battlements and the wetlands, the slaves attacking there fared no better. The screams and moans of the dying filled the air. The scent of fresh blood filled the tigers, wolves, lions, and hyenas with blood lust. By the time the remnants of the attacking slaves passed the front line of battlements there were at best 500 on either side. They now faced the gauntlet of the archers in the redoubts on both sides. By then the carnivores were incensed by the screams and scent of fresh blood. Those few who survived the gauntlet of arrows were quite literally torn to shreds by the carnivores. Raben had to forcibly recall the beasts.

While that was happening nearly 500 canoes and boats filled with between 15 and 20 paddling warriors each launched from the north and south beaches. The ship mounted onagers and scorpios took a heavy toll but not nearly enough. Half the remaining canoes headed for the shore behind the moats while the rest swarmed the ships... exactly where the manatees waited. Not a single canoe reached the ships as they were smashed and overturned dumping the warriors into the ocean. The crew archers took out any men who attempted to swim to the ships. Many men drowned as the manatees grabbed a flailing limb and pulled them under the surface.

The brigade of mounted Raven Raider archers very effectively fired into the canoes heading for shore. As those paddling were feathered, they dropped their paddles, which on it’s own slowed the canoes. The rhythm of the remaining paddlers was at best disrupted which further slowed them down. Some of the dead and dying paddlers fell against those nearby which greatly aggravated the rhythm. Others slumped over the side, often tipping the canoe. With the momentum of the canoes slowed the archers continued to fire into the canoes whose slower speed allowed greater accuracy. Only 20-30 canoes made it to the shore. As the survivors tried to leap ashore they fell back with arrows feathering their bodies. An estimated 8750 warriors died in the seaborne attack.

As the canoe attack was being annihilated, on land the remaining 20,000 slaves were sent in to attack the narrow undefended sections on either side of the wetlands. The remaining 16,250 warriors followed. As the charging slaves saw the thousands of dead and wounded littering the ground as they approached they knew fear. As they dodged around the dead and dying they were hit with the first volley of arrows. By the third volley the slaves were half way across the body strewn battleground. Their own losses caused them to break and flee, dropping their weapons in the process. The fleeing slaves ran right into the warriors who by then had entered the kill zone. The warriors were stunned to see the carnage that had killed the initial slave charge. As the arrows began to fall among their ranks they faltered as the terrified retreating slaves ran through their more disciplined ranks with 10,000 slaves breaking through to flee. The leaders of the warriors rallied the warriors who had begun to fall back but by then the slaves were gone from the battlefield. It was only 13,000 warriors who fell back out of arrow range. Bolts from the scorpios began to fall amongst them forcing them to retreat further.

Raben signaled the dismounted Raven Raiders to mount up as he sent nearly 11,000 ravens and 27 eagles in to harass and disrupt the remaining warriors. Leaving the Pathfinders to guard the shores and base, Raben ordered that, once mounted and formed, the 3 divisions of Raven Raiders were to follow him. With that he led the 27 elephants, 3 tigers, 34 lions, 243 wolves and 100 hyenas to attack the ranks of warriors.

A raven apocalypse descended on the crowded, disciplined ranks of the warriors. They clumped closer together to repel the raucous birds creating walls with their shields. The warriors and leaders were so busy they never saw the onslaught as the beasts tore into them. The elephants trampled and swept swaths with their tusks and trunks disrupting their shield walls. The 380 cats, wolves and hyenas simply took down the distracted warriors, each killing about 1 man a minute, mostly by ripping out their throats. The ravens and eagles tore out eyes and shredded faces and necks. Raben had his sword in one hand and a knife in his other as he sliced and diced his way through the warriors. The warriors discovered if they broke and fled they were swarmed from all sides by dozens of ravens and easily brought down and shredded by the sharp beaks that easily tore through carrion.

It took 10 minutes for the Raven Raiders to mount and form their units and another 5 minutes to pass through the slaughter. By the time Raben called off the beasts the carnivores had taken out 7600 warriors, the elephants another 2500, the ravens and eagles accounted for 4600 while Raben took out 100. There were about 200 warriors left standing and they were wounded.

Raben sent the ravens and eagles to round up the slaves who had fled dispatching 2 divisions of Raven Raiders to bring them back. The beasts were allowed to satiate themselves on their kills with the lion and hyena cubs joining their parents. The ravens and eagles had the warriors so distracted they had been unable to defend themselves against the beasts so the animals suffered no major injuries. Raben thanked all the animals and released them to return to their homes.

It had been a total bloodbath. Of the 85,000 warriors and slaves only 200 warriors and 10,000 slaves remained standing. With the fighting over, the cries and moans of the thousands wounded created a horrific din to accompany the unrelenting smell of death. Of the 500 canoes used in the waterborne assault, less than a hundred overturned or swamped canoes washed up on the shores. The victory was obscenely lopsided since the Clan Corvo suffered no dead and only 50 injured, none by enemy actions. The shores on either side of Dakar were littered with bodies washed up by the surf.

Those of the Clan Corvo were shocked by the massive carnage. Many became ill as they looked out over their victory. None were proud of their lopsided win. As part of their miliary training the Raven Raiders and Pathfinders had been trained in first aid and triage. The Raven Raiders and Pathfinders began to move amongst the carnage binding wounds and offering water to the wounded.

Raben walked amongst the casualties, using his empathetic abilities to ease their anxiety assuring the wounded they would be treated well and using his skills as a healer to great effect. Stretchers began carrying the wounded to the hospitals that had been set up behind the Clan Corvo lines. Those fatally wounded were made as comfortable as possible. Raben approached those still conscious telling them their status, explaining he could end their agony quickly and painlessly and asking if they wanted their suffering to end. Most knew they were fatally wounded and consented to their mercy killing. Raben did what was needed.

As a healer Raben knew there were many times the best treatment for a patient was to assist their end of life. It was not something he enjoyed doing. Each time he helped someone cross over he thought of the first person he’d assisted dying, his crucified adoptive mother. After 211 years, the internal anguish never lessened.

The 10,000 captured slaves with the 200 captured warriors gathered the 55,000 dead. Each body was stripped and stacked five and six high on pyres to be burnt. In the moats they first had to remove the deadly spike studded planks. The 20,000 wounded were being well treated. Thanks to the clean sterilized medical practices discovered and instituted by Raben over many years, infections in the wounds were few.

Leaving one division of Raven Raiders with the Pathfinders and most of the complacent prisoners to set up fields, orchards and shelters in the Dakar area. With a few slaves as guides Raben set out with the rest of the Raven Raiders. At each village it was the same. The few warriors who had remained behind were quickly scared into submission and overwhelmed by the ravens and wolves as the Raven Raiders surrounded the village.

Raben with the 3 tigers, 6 eagles, a dozen wolves and 2 dozen ravens boldly entered. “I am Raben Corvo, head of the Clan Corvo, and speaker to animals. We have defeated the 85,000 men you sent to attack us. We killed 55,000 and captured 30,000. Of those, 20,000 were wounded. My troops only suffered 50 injured and no deaths.”

The villagers were stunned upon hearing about the lopsided battle. The last they had heard of the attack against the invaders had been news the attack would happen the next day. The fact no one had arrived with word of the attack had left them growing increasingly concerned. The fact the enemy suddenly appeared in strength with a handful of slaves as guides unfortunately made Raben’s outrageous news seem plausible. The fact they saw Raben not only talk to the tigers and wolves as well as the eagles and ravens but was able to give them orders they followed had them in awe. That meant Raben had to, at the very least, be a powerful shaman, well in touch with the spirits. Many feared Raben was a God. Either way, the spirits they worshiped had clearly abandoned them in favor of the powerful newcomer.

The warriors were dazed. Their fellow warriors were well trained and disciplined, fearsome in battle. They had no conception of how such a disaster had occurred, yet seeing the strangers and not having any word of the battle and seeing how Raben was able to talk to the animals and birds, they knew they’d been defeated. If what Raben reported was true, the battle had been a lopsided massacre. The majority of the men sent to do battle would never be returning.

“Since it is the practice of your society that the losers of a war become the slaves of the victors, we will honor that expectation,” Raben declared. “You are a defeated and conquered people. Every one of you is now a slave of the Clan Corvo.”

Their entrenched caste system required that those defeated in battle became slaves. The villagers were numbed by the realization that in addition to the terrible loss, they also lost their status, being reduced to the bottom caste of slaves. Naturally the women and children cried and wailed to learn of the massacre and their loss of status.

“This village is to be destroyed,” Raben announced. “Gather your belongings, all tools, all animals, and all food and seeds. You will then travel to new homes near Dakar where you will serve my people. You will learn our language. By the first anniversary of the battle, your language will be fazed out. Anyone speaking it in public will be punished, possibly by having your tongue cut out.”

“Between now and then, my people will teach you our language,” Raben continued. “Everyone in the Clan Corvo can read and write. Even though we have defeated you we want to preserve your history, your stories, your traditions, your knowledge. You should also know the Clan Corvo does not have a caste system. Every person has the chance to improve their place in life. We have no elite class. That’s not to say we do not have elite positions, but those in elite positions earn their positions. Every job is important, a leader is no more important than a farmer. Even our slaves are treated with respect. If a slave follows instructions and performs well, we reward them by granting them their freedom. Once freed, a former slave is welcomed into our society with all the rights and privileges of freeborn people. In addition, women are equal to men. If you look at my troops, you will see about one third are women.”

Those revelations stunned the new slaves. Slaves were expected to do good work. Freeing slaves for doing what was expected was absolutely foreign to them. Women warriors were also foreign to them. That no caste system existed was also outside their experiences. But it did give them a glimmer of hope.

Their caste system was so ingrained they meekly accepted their reduced status as slaves and forlornly obeyed the orders Raben had given, gathering their belongings and food. Gathered in the center of the village, an elder was allowed to say a prayer honoring the local gods before torching the buildings. A section of 27 Raven Raiders escorted them to Dakar. The dictionaries he'd initially made enabled communication. It took 2 months to visit and retrieve the people of every village that had participated in the brief war.

The neighboring tribes had known the defeated tribe had set out to repel invaders. In several villages traders were present when Raben and the Raven Raiders arrived. They were amazed the youth could speak their languages. The tale of the destruction and utter defeat he told seemed impossible but the fact the Raven Raiders were there while the warriors who had gone off to war were not verified the truth of the story. That Raben could talk to the animals and birds made him seem supernatural. While he never made the claim himself he did not deny it. Raben explained the Clan Corvo wanted to live in peace and invited the traders to send delegations from their tribes to Dakar to discuss trade and relations. He also warned them that as victor he claimed all the land that had belonged to the defeated tribe, even if it would be unsettled for 50 years. Then he added that if the land laid vacant for longer than 50 years, then it could be considered abandoned and occupied. Then he warned that any violation of that restriction would be considered a declaration of war and dealt with accordingly.

By the end of January 387, Raben returned to Dakar with the Raven Raiders. The villagers he had retrieved numbered over 250,000, with 137,500 having been slaves. Raben had the people settle within a 90 mile radius of Dakar, the beginning of the Clan Corvo colony of Senegal. Those that had been free still unquestioningly accepted their much reduced status. Those who had been craftsmen were allowed to continue their profession. New villages were built combining Clan Corvo sanitary standards while merging Roman building methods with local building practices. Daily classes were held to teach them the unique blend of Latin with Germanic/Celtic undertones of the Clan Corvo. Scribes recorded the stories and histories of the defeated people, much of which came from the traditional Griots. The Griots were traditional memory based storytellers like the bards of Europe.
Raben spent weeks working with the Griots expanding the basic lexicon he'd begun before the battle as well as drawing up maps of the entire region. With it communications between the defeated native population and the Clan Corvo became easier and a lot more efficient. The Griots marveled at the explicit alphabet and detailed recording of their stories, histories and legends. They began to believe Raben when he said he wanted to save their heritage while he brought them into the Clan Corvo. Because of their oral history the Griots had disciplined minds. Many quickly learned the alphabet and Clan Corvo language becoming scribes.

Many new settlements were built on the ashes of burned down villages. A total of 1000 villages of about 250 people each were built. Each village had at least a 7 person squad of Raven Raiders in residence operating a station for colony wide raven mail. The outer settlements went from Lompoul {GM 15.417357, -16.690957} 67 miles to the northeast of Dakar and 2.5 miles from the coast, Baba Garage {GM 14.937467, -16.492115} 61 miles to the northeast of Dakar and 33 miles southeast of Lompoul, Bambay {GM 14.688135, -16.448754} 61 miles to the east of Dakar and 17 miles south of Baba Garage, Latr {GM 14.334231, -16.334718} 74 miles southeast of Dakar and 17 miles south of Bambay, Djilor {GM 14.045668, -16.334043} 77 mile southeast of Dakar and 19 miles southwest of Latr, Betani {GM 13.691627, -16.627361} in the delta of the Saloum River 88 miles southeast of Dakar and 30 miles southwest of Djilor. All were built with a fresh water supply near orchards and fields. Critical coastal fishing villages were rebuilt and the surviving canoes spread out amongst them.

That's not to say everything went smoothly. There were many colonists who couldn't accept the locals as equals, the fact they had black skin became a barrier. The vast majority knew better than to act on their prejudice, but some lashed out. The Raven Raiders and colonial leaders knew better than to hide such unacceptable behavior. When racial prejudice was reported, Raben promptly headed for the village. The troublemaker was publicly brought before Raben in the village square. With his empathetic abilities it was easy to cowl the offender. No excuses were accepted. Punishments were harsh. Public whipping to show the colonists the matter was serious and to reinforce that the colonists, while free, were no better humans than the slaves. Depending on the severity of the offence, the evildoer was sentenced to appropriate terms of slavery, forced to work beside those they had offended. With each occurrence, the guidelines were established for punishment and discipline for times when Raben was not in the colony. Everyone, slave and free understood Raben would wreak havoc if anyone failed to maintain the standards he set.

Preparations were made to receive the year 387 Clan Corvo colonists. The weekly fleets bringing the 45,139 colonists began arriving at the end of March. Another division of Pathfinders and 2 additional divisions of Raven Raiders, 20,358 people, arrived along with 3000 sailors for the Dakar fleet of 100 clinker ships, 50 - 100 ton caravels & 25 - 180 ton caravels and 21,681 colonists. The last arrived just before the last week of June.

As they arrived Raben greeted the colonists and explained the status of the enslaved locals. Raben placed colonists, Raven Raiders and Pathfinders in each village to assist the merger of the 2 civilizations. About 10,000 people settled in Dakar. Of the 15 brigades of Raven Raiders, 6 were split up into squads and detailed to the settlements and Dakar. Six brigades took turns patrolling the borders of the conquered tribe. Three brigades were in reserve on relaxed duty. At an easy pace the patrols took 5 weeks to make the trek. They began their patrols 2 weeks apart so 3 patrols were out at a time. Each patrol had raven mail couriers so help was easy to summon.

Raben stayed another year making sure things were running smoothly. As he had expected, once the conquered locals accepted and settled into their status as slaves they saw the advantages of the new way of life. The fact the colonists openly accepted them was almost beyond their comprehension. The began to look forward to earning their freedom.

The neighboring tribes sent traders and diplomatic envoys to Dakar. The sight of the huge ships amazed them as did the substantial stone houses and paved streets of Dakar. The wagons on the roads between the villages, bridges across the streams, the level of inter-village trading and the ease of travel was far beyond anything they'd ever imagined. Units of Raven Raiders were everywhere. Raben welcomed the traders and dealt honestly and openly with the delegations. Several witnessed the punishment of his own people who did not live up to the expectations of the Clan Corvo. None doubted the ability of the newcomers to defend their newly won territory. Besides, the Clan Corvo seemed to have a never ending supply of salt to trade which was a precious commodity in sub-Saharan Africa.

Raben sent word to Barmaz that starting in 388, he wanted to increase the emigration from Barmaz from the current 26,000 a year to 33,000 per year. That meant 52,139 people headed to Africa. Included with the new colonists was another division of Raven Raiders. The colonists numbered 42,988 people. There were 40716 Raven Raiders and 13,572 Pathfinders for a total Clan Corvo Senegal population of 97,278. There were also 280,000 native African slaves who were 1.5 years into their 3 year servitude. Many of the Raven Raiders, Pathfinders, and ship crews began marrying locals, which automatically earned them their freedom and membership in the Clan Corvo. The merger of the two societies was occurring rapidly and smoothly.

While Senegal was being settled, the Pathfinders continued searching for the last mid Atlantic set of islands. In the beginning of 388, they found them, 350 miles due west from Senegal and Cape Vert. They named the chain of 9 unihabited but quite habitable islands, the Cape Verde Islands. Sal {GM 16.733275, -22.935711} was canine tooth shaped, 22 miles by 7 miles. Boa Vist {GM 16.091502, -22.807198} was circular, 19 miles diameter. Sao Nicolau {GM 16.602337, -24.313947} was irregular shaped, 28 miles by 12 miles. São Vicente {GM 16.831143, -24.977195} was squarish, 15 miles by 10 miles. Santo Antao {GM 17.046756, -25.157871 was rectangular, 25 miles by 12 miles. Maio {GM 15.212257, -23.145497} was rectangular, 19 miles by 16 miles. Santiago {GM 15.080377, -23.637959} was flounder shaped, 46 miles by 22 miles. Fogo {GM 14.913898, -24.386912} was circular 15 miles in diameter. Brava {GM 14.851177, -24.710448} was oval, 15 miles by 10 miles. Raben sent a battalion of Pathfinders, 746 people, to explore and establish bases for future settlement. They planted orchards and crops, developed water sources and in dryer areas built cisterns. Roads and harbors were built, natural resources were prospected and the islands mapped. The islands of Sal, Santo Antao and Fogo were each garrisoned by a troop of 79 Pathfinders. The islands of Brava, Miao, Boa Vista, Nicolau and Vincente were each garrisoned by a section of 23 Pathfinders. The island of Santiago had the balance of the battalion of 394 Pathfinders.

Raben could no longer make yearly trips to each Clan Corvo site. The religious situation in Egypt and Rome demanded more of his attention as he tried to keep the Clan Corvo out of the growing spiritual strife and bigotry. Finding a way to not upset already ruffled feathers was a headache he didn’t need. The work of Corvus Scriptorium was being impinged by growing religious intolerance and never ending accusations of heresy.

Co-emperor Maximus, in charge of Britannia and Gaul, wanted more territory. In 387 to further his ambitions he pulled more troops from the borders to invade Italy crossing through Reatia into northern Italy over the eastern Alp passes to take Italy. When he learned Theodosius was heading into Illyricum {PD Croatia} to stop him he led his forces into the same area. While Maximus delayed in apprehension, Theodosius, spreading rumors of an impending invasion of Italy from the sea, boldly advanced through Illyricum with his main army, at the same time sending his Frankish lieutenant Arbogast further north through Rhaetia along the Danube into Gaul. Maximus had his troops arrayed to prevent Theodosius from crossing the Save River near Sisak in present day Croatia. When the Eastern empire troops arrived at the river in the late afternoon they promptly charged the river. The defenders were caught off guard thinking the attack would occur the next day. Theodosius’ troops succeeded in crossing the river and forcing the crossing. The next day Maximus tried to force Theodosius back but failed suffering heavy losses. He fled into Italy under hot pursuit until trapped when his troops surrendered him. Theodosius had him executed on July 28, 388.

As part of his guardianship over the by then 17 year old Valentinian II, Theodosius executed all administrators who had assisted Maximus, appointing loyal key administrators in the West. Part of the shake up involved moving the Gaul Imperial residence to Vienne, a city along the Rhone south of Lyons in southern Gaul, far from the influence of Bishop Ambrose in Milan. Representatives from Ambrose and the Pope were refused passage through Barmaz and stopped at the borders creating tension between the Corvo Church and the Church of Rome. Theodosius's trusted Frankish general, Arbogast, was appointed military commander for the Western provinces and guardian of Valentinian II.

Between 389–392 the "Theodosian decrees" were issued instituting a major change in religious policies which removed non-Nicene Christians from church office and abolished the last remaining expressions of Roman pagan religion by making its holidays into workdays, banned blood sacrifices, closed Roman temples, confiscated temple endowments and disbanded the Vestal Virgins. The practices of taking auspices, such as reading the entrails of slaughtered animals, and witchcraft were punished by death. For centuries Christians had asked for tolerance from the Pagan faiths. Now that they had the upper hand, they did all they could to destroy every trace of Paganism. But it didn't stop there. The various Christian factions viciously attacked each other accusing their opponents of heresy. This was particularly prevalent in Alexandria.

By 391 Alexandria was the second largest city in empire and Egypt's main Greek city with people from diverse backgrounds. Alexandria was not only a center of Hellenism, but was also home to the largest urban Jewish community in the world. The Septuagint, the accepted Greek version of the Tanakh and the Old Testament, was produced there. The Romans kept order in the city and fostered it’s development into the leading Hellenistic center of learning featuring the Library of Alexandria while maintaining the distinctness of its population's four largest ethnicities: Roman, Greek, Jewish, and Egyptian. After Rome and Constantinople, Alexandria was considered the third-most important seat of Christianity in the world. The Pope of Alexandria was second only to the bishop of Rome. The Church of Alexandria had jurisdiction over most of the continent of Africa. Numerous schools and symposiums thrived in the diverse city.

One of the world class scholars teaching there was Hypatia, the daughter of the mathematician Theon who was the head of a school called the Mouseion. Theon's school was exclusive, highly prestigious, and doctrinally conservative. Theon took pride in teaching a pure, Plotinian Neoplatonism. He was widely seen as a great mathematician. Hypatia was a Hellenistic Neoplatonist philosopher, astronomer, and mathematician. A prominent thinker of the Neoplatonic school in Alexandria, she taught philosophy and astronomy. Hypatia was renowned as a great teacher and a wise counselor. The Alexandrian school was renowned for its philosophy and Alexandria was regarded as second only to Athens as the philosophical capital of the Greco-Roman world. Hypatia taught students from all over the Mediterranean. She lectured on the writings of Plato and Aristotle often walking through Alexandria in a tribon, a kind of cloak associated with philosophers, giving impromptu public lectures.
Two main varieties of Neoplatonism were being taught in Alexandria, the first was the overtly pagan religious Neoplatonism taught at the Serapeum. The second variety was the more moderate and less controversial variety championed by Hypatia and her father Theon, which was based on the teachings of Plotinus. Although Hypatia herself was a pagan, she was tolerant of Christians. {Every one of her historically known students was Christian.} The Mouseion {Institution of the Muses} had originally been a separate campus but had been severely damaged during the Palmyrene occupation and defeat with the repaired remnants destroyed by the Tsunami of 365. After that it shared space with the Serapeum, an ancient Greek temple built by Ptolemy III. {A religious institution dedicated to the blended Greco-Egyptian deity Serapis}. It was often called the daughter of the Library of Alexandria.

For the past 191 years, what Fiach began when she opened the Corvus Scriptorium site in Alexandria, had been continued even during the Palmyrene occupation. The scrolls, books and texts of the Library of Alexandria and at the Serapeum had been copied and dutifully sent to Barmaz. Over the years as fires and tsunamis destroyed the originals, the copies remained in the main Corvus Scriptorium library in Barmaz as well as in the still hidden secret archives. Fiach made sure to obtain copies of the writings and teachings of scholars like Theon and Hypatia. Other scholars were always eager to have their work immortalized. As the Christian intolerance increased, the Corvus Scriptorium libraries kept in Rome and Alexandria were purged of potentially ‘blasphemous’ tomes.

Theophilis, the Pope of Alexandria, used the Theodosian decrees to crush Pagans. In 391 he allowed riots instigated by fanatical Christians, mainly the self-martyring monks living in the desert, to destroy the Serapeum because of the collections of what they considered heretical documents that were stored in the library. Their actions destroyed thousands of what most people thought of as irreplaceable documents since they didn’t know of the even larger Library of Corvus Scriptorium in Barmaz. The overtly Pagan Neoplatonists were executed and their teachings demonized while the conservative Neoplatonists like Hypatia and her father were spared. They continued teaching and lecturing in the adjunct buildings on the campus of the destroyed Serapeum. They refused to let the mobs stifle what they felt was their duty to educate. They were the first of many intellectuals who fatally dismissed religious fanatics as inconsequential. {Continuing to this day, ie ISIS}

Acting in the name of Valentinian II, Arbogast was subordinate only to Theodosius. While the general campaigned successfully on the Rhine, Valentinian II remained at Vienne. Arbogast's domination over the young emperor was considerable. A crisis developed when Arbogast prohibited the emperor from leading the Gallic armies into Italy to oppose a barbarian threat coming from the Danube. Indignant, Valentinian II, in writing, formally dismissed the general who ignored the order, publicly tearing it up and arguing that Valentinian II had not appointed him. The reality of where the power truly lay was openly displayed. Valentinian II petulantly wrote to Theodosius and Bishop Ambrose complaining of the insubordination of his general. On May 15, 392, Valentinian II was found hanged in his residence in Vienne. Arbogast maintained that the young emperor's death was a suicide. General Arbogast, unable to assume the role of Emperor because of his non-Roman background, selected Eugenius, a former teacher of rhetoric whom he had made Valentinian II's master of offices, to succeed Valentinian II as western empire emperor. Eugenius sought Theodosius' recognition in vain. Theodosious bluntly rebuffed every entreaty as he prepared for war.

Upon learning that another internal war was once more brewing, Fiach left Alexandria to return to Barmaz. Upon arriving at Zarbam Raben emerged to take charge of the budding crisis. His visible presence with a strong Raven Raider escort touring the Barmaz border crossings was enough to keep both sides away.

After finally gathering troops, Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, Theodosius led a large army west. Though nominally Christian, the western emperor usurper, Eugenius, was quite sympathetic to pagans. The war assumed religious overtones with Christianity pitted against the last attempt at a pagan revival. In Ilyricum at the Battle of Frigidus in September 394, general Arbogast lost and committed suicide rather than be captured. Usurper Eugenius was captured and executed. The battle was the last serious attempt to contest the Christianization of the empire. The outcome decided the outcome of Christianity in the western Empire and the final decline of Greco-Roman polytheism in favor of Christianity over the following century. The defeat of Eugenius and his commander, the Frankish magister militum Arbogast, put the whole empire back in the hands of a single emperor for the last time.

However, it did little to re-establish stability. A few months later, on January 17, 395 in Milan, Theodosius died from a disease involving severe edema. As he lay dying Theodosius designated his sons as co-emperors. In the east 18 year old Arcadius took the throne. In the West, 10 year old Honorius ascended to the throne.

Neither Emperor would ever show any sign of fitness to rule. As their guardians, Theodosius had assigned general Stilicho to rule in the name of Honorius in the Western Empire, and in the Eastern Empire Flavius Rufinus was the actual power behind the throne of Arcadius. During the first part of his reign, Honorius was wholly dependant on the leadership of his soon to be father-in-law. Honorius based his capitol in Milan, thus was greatly influenced by Siricius, Pope of Rome, who sought to extend his influence through his youth and weak character.

During that time Raben joined a small Corvus Shipping clinker ship fleet, the first to travel up the newly completed canal from the port of Zarbam to Lac Leman. Building the canal along the Durance and other Barmaz Rivers and streams initially proved problematical. Because of the winter snows on the Alps and the resultant spring melts, the streams flooded. The quicker the melt, the worse the floods. As a result the canals had to be dug away from but paralleling the streams. Part of the process of digging the canals was channelizing the rivers to control the annual spring flooding and provide water to the canal. At the same time the canal served a secondary purpose by drawing off some of the flood water. The canals were built to allow vessels heading opposite directions to pass. The minimum was a 4 feet depth and 30 feet useable width to accommodate the standard Norse clinker ship which was 54 feet long with a beam of 12 feet, a draw of 3 feet and a capacity of 24 tons of cargo. The locks were built as side by side twins with each 60 feet long by 15 feet wide with a drop/raise of 10 feet. The locks operated as a pair draining from one to fill the other to the mid-point thus saving water.

Upon leaving the Etang de Berre they entered a series of 17 twin locks to lift the ships 168 feet in height. Then the canal flowed flat for 9.25 miles to the village of Salon de Provence to a series of 11 twin locks for a rise of 104 feet. The canal then cut through the hills and valleys for 11.5 miles to the village of Mallemort on the Durance, a gradual lowering in height of 104 feet requiring 11 lock pairs. The amount of water from the Durance coupled with the local streams flowing into the canal provided more than enough water to operate the locks. The canal followed the Durance 99 miles to a half mile north of the village of Curbans with a rise of 456 feet requiring 46 locks. From there the canal ran north roughly along the stream Le Rousine north to the village of Pre Longet then northwest crossing to the stream La Luye near the village of Les Termes to just past the town of Gap, a rise of 592 feet requiring 60 locks over a distance of 13 miles. Then up through the pass Col De Manse at a height of 4160 feet, a rise of 1640 feet requiring 164 locks over a distance of 5 miles. Every stream in the area was dammed. The dams were built to divert 90% of the end of summer flow. The remaining 10% and the spring floods would overtop them and continue down the original stream channel. The diverted water was channeled to supply water for the locks.

On the north side of the pass the canal paralleled the stream Le Drac for 60 miles to the town of Grenoble drop 3376 feet requiring 338 locks. From there it follows the Isere River 52 miles to the village of Albertville, a rise of 302 feet with 31 locks. Then it followed the stream L’Arly to the stream La Chaise 12 miles through the water divide at 1650 feet in the village of Faverges, a rise of 624 feet requiring 63 locks. The 16 miles along the stream L’Eau Morte to Annecy-le-Vieux, a drop of 128 feet requiring 13 locks. The canal the rose 616 feet requiring 62 locks over 10 miles then down 1152 feet requiring 116 locks over 8 miles to the village of Les Rochs on the Arve River. The route followed 13 miles down the Arve to a short level connector to the town of Geneva and Lac Leman.

In Senegal the rivers and streams of the area were tamed. During the dry season the water flow in the rivers and bayous was greatly reduced. The area was so close to sea level that salt water intruded far up the wide sluggish rivers, up to 45 miles inland on the Senegal River. During the dry season the salt water seeped into the lowering water table rendering much of the flood plain barren. A half mile from the coast each river and bayou was reinforced stone dams were built to a height of 5 feet above high tide and 50 feet wide on top to prevent the salt water intrusion. Stone multi-arch bridges 30 feet wide were built the top to provide year round road transport across the dams. Within 2 years of stopping the salt intrusion, the former barren lands were transformed into arable land greatly increasing the farmland.

The rivers and streams flooded during the rainy seasons During the wet season, the rivers overflowed their banks into huge low lying deltas watering rice paddies. All the rivers and many streams were dammed to create shallow reservoirs in low lying areas. The low head stone dams of 10 feet maximum height were built 40 feet wide on top, with 30 feet wide stone multi-arch bridges on the top to create raised roadways connected to causeways across the flooded areas beside the streams to provide safe crossing even at the highest floods. The dams were designed remain intact when overtopped during flooding. All flood prone villages were rebuilt with sturdy stone retaining walls. The area inside the walls were filled creating wall encased mounds raised 5 feet above the floods. The bridges and causeways connecting the villages were built to remain above the floods. As in Barmaz, navigable canals and locks were built parallel to the streams. Irrigation canals were built to allow farming during the dry season.

Additional tillable land was greatly increased by building sturdy low stone dams to a height of 5 feet above high tide on the rivers and bayous about a mile in from the coast. Sand was hauled from the coastal sand dunes to fill in the bayous and swamps eliminating breeding grounds for mosquitoes and other insects while at the same time eliminated the breeding grounds for the deadly African crocodiles.

As a result of those actions the food supply exploded. In addition vast salt evaporation pans were created along the coast inside the area below the salt intrusion prevention dams. These pans created a local supply of the salt used for trading. The plentiful food resulted in the surrounding tribes having little of valuable to trade. One thing the surrounding natives did have was slaves. Warfare, often ritual, was so common amongst the tribes of west Africa it was an integral part of their way of life, in both the dry areas of the sub-Sahara and the jungles of West Africa. They seldom engaged in large battles because they didn’t want to disrupt their way of life. But for the upper classes, small scale warfare was a way of achieving prestige and rank. It was quite common for slaves to be captured in raids against neighbors or for a tribe to sell off their criminals as slaves. When the Clan Corvo let it be known they'd trade salt for slaves, the number inter-tribal of slave raids and the resultant warfare increased. As was Clan Corvo practice, slaves were worked for 3 years, being taught the language and Clan life in the process, before being welcomed into the Clan. This increased the ranks of the clan by an average of 20,000 a year while also weakening the neighboring tribes who could only trust the Clan Corvo to treat them honestly.

During trade, the Clan Corvo always dealt openly and honestly with their neighbors, openly touting the Corvoian way of life. Tales of the Demon Slayer’s exploits in the Roman Empire rapidly became legendary. Open offers to the traders to join the Clan Corvo were made. The clans and tribes neighboring Senegal saw the wealth and much higher standard of living in the Clan Corvo area. They noted that the slaves were freed and welcomed into the Clan thus gaining prestige and wealth. The roads, bridges and dams controlled the flooding of the rivers during the wet seasons creating reservoirs for the dry seasons. They also witnessed the preservation of native traditions with many often incorporated into the Clan Corvo.

Since 389, the situation in Senegal improved. Cape Verde Islands received 2000 colonists a year split 1000 to an island in a rotation to populate each island. The yearly flow of 52,139 Clan Corvo people to Senegal continued. The 6 divisions of Raven Raiders remained intact while a third division of Pathfinders arrived, the fleet increased to a full division of sailors/marines. In addition, there was a steady influx of 20,000 slaves per year traded by the surrounding native populations in exchange for salt.

By 393, 377,127 Clan Corvo born people and 280,000 African born natives that had been originally conquered, 120,000 purchased slaves/salt with a population growth of 2% gave the African colony a population of 844,932 living in the colony which had expanded to occupy all the territory the conquered native peoples had held. The integration of the 2 peoples was smooth with thousands of mixed race children. All the original slaves and all but the last 3 years of purchased slaves had earned their freedom becoming members of the Clan Corvo. Not only had the entire area originally conquered had been reoccupied, there had been tremendous population expansion in all directions. As in all other area of the Clan Corvo, all citizens age 13 and above joined the militia to learn to fight as well as create unity and discipline. Since the Clan Corvo was Corvoian Christian, that became the faith of Senegal while retaining the respect and honor of their past beliefs.

In 393 a neighboring clan, seriously weakened by the incessant slave wars and on the verge of collapse, sought salvation by joining the Clan Corvo. They were welcomed with open arms. The Raven Raiders and Pathfinders moved in to protect the natives and begin building infrastructure and altering farming practices. Colonists moved in to guide the populace in adapting to the Corvoian way of life and language with scribes and griots recording legends, medicine, and family trees. The most difficult thing was for those who had prestige and wealth in the rigid but no longer functional caste system to accept those of lower caste as equals. However since they had been the ones to ask for integration, they begrudgingly accepted the new status quo. Once the first native clan successfully joined the Clan Corvo, it created a domino effect as weakened clan after weakened clan sought salvation through unification.

In this manner starting in 393 the present day nations of Guinea-Bissau, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia as well as the southern portion of Mauritania and western portion of Mali all peacefully came under the Clan Corvo Banner. This yielded an additional average yearly population increase of 100,000 people. Their neighbors saw the peaceful integration and quickly learned that raiding and ritual warfare resulted in rapid and harsh reprisals. They also saw the increased food production and healthier lifestyles. Their growing envy prepared them to eventually join Clan Corvo.

The only annoying issue with the Senegal African Colony was with the Berber traders crossing the Sahara. Camels arrived in Berber North Africa around 300. It took several years for the Berbers to adapt in learning how to control and breed and the oft stubborn large beasts of burden. Once they did, they quickly mastered the arduous trek through the barren Sahara Desert. Trade started with the sub-Saharan African natives. They quickly learned the sub-Sahara was eager for salt and soon were trading salt for it’s weight of gold. The salt the Clan Corvo traded for slaves virtually eliminated the Berber salt trade. Needless to say the Berbers were upset to lose the source of easy gold. In addition, it quickly became evident that anything they transported across the Sahara by camel caravan could be provided cheaper by the Clan Corvo. The incipient cross desert camel caravan trade was abruptly short circuited.

Fortunately for the Clan Corvo the Berber’s were a semi-nomadic people living amongst and south of the Phoenician/Roman traders and farmers of the Mediterranean coast. They were not strong enough nor organized enough to attempt to openly challenge the Raven Raiders. However they did begin to make snatch and grab raids in the areas north and east of the Senegal river. The Raven Raiders heavily patrolled the area and often pursued the raiders. There were few survivors when they were caught. Camels were captured during those clashes as well as Berber prisoners. Camel breeding began in the Clan Corvo and camel mounted Raven Raider patrols began. The raids dwindled as the Camels and raven overwatch provided warnings to meet the raiders. Plans were made to build a defensive wall along the barren northern border. Starting on the coast {GM 21.331584, -17.027784} 26.5 miles north of the village of Nouadhibou, the wall was built due east for 20 miles {GM 21.333522, -16.719185} with a gate complex at {GM 21.334832, -16.947633} before turning southeast through the desert. {Eventually, as more tribes joined the Clan Corvo, the PD countries of Burkina Faso, Cote de Ivorie, Ghana, Togo and Benin would be included in Clan Corvo Africa. The border would continue for 1199 miles to the Mali/Niger/Burkina Faso border at {GM 14.920488, 0.230661} The border followed the Niger/Burkina Faso/Benin/Niger to the Benin/Nigeria border to the Atlantic.}

Back in the Roman Empire Theodosius' army, made up mostly of conscripted barbarians, rapidly dissolved after his death. A fatal flaw in using large numbers of barbarians was thus exposed. The successors of Theodosius decided since they had not made the agreements with the barbarians, they didn’t have to honor those agreements thus didn’t pay off the debts owed to the mercenaries. Since the Romans didn’t honor the agreements, neither did the short changed mercenaries. The barbarians were angry at the betrayal but upheld their honor by reasoning they had pledged allegiance to their generals and/or the emperor, not to the Roman Empire. Thus with the death of the emperor, their pledge to fight in defense of Rome was absolved

The leader of the Visigoths who helped defeat Arbogast was Alaric. The upset warriors recognized Alaric was an excellent warrior and leader, thus elected him their King. The Visigoth former contingents began raiding as they returned to their families, raiding as far as Constantinople until diverted by the military forces of the capital of the eastern empire. Alaric moved southward into Greece, where he sacked Piraeus (the port of Athens) and destroyed Corinth, Megara, Argos, and Sparta. Since they couldn’t stop the Visigoths, the Eastern emperor Flavius Arcadius appointed Alaric magister militum (master of the soldiers) in Illyricum. {PD Greece, Albania, Macedonia, Kosovo, Serbia, Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovena, Coatia, and Slovenia. Thus the Eastern Empire stopped the raids and by default allowed the Visigoths to settle inside the borders of the empire.

Svenn formally retired as head of Bazram in 395 at the age of 73. As planned, Ollie succeeded him. Now age 26 he’d worked under his grandfather’s watchful eye for the past 10 years gradually taking over the different aspects of running the northern portion of the Clan Corvo.

Also in 395 the Huns began their first large-scale attack on the Eastern Roman Empire. Coming from the eastern portion of the vast Eurasian Steppe, the Huns swept north around the Caspian Sea and to the west around the Black Sea attacking across the lower Danube into Thrace and moving south across the Caucus Mountains to overrun Armenia and pillage Cappadocia. From there they entered parts of Syria threatening Antioch before swarming through the province of Euphratesia. The forces of Rufinus were still rebuilding, bargaining with the Goths to recruit fighters, thus the Huns moved relatively unopposed.

In the spring of 396 Raben accompanied the emigrants moving to Olvishaugen in Bazram {PD Levanger, Norway}. Word had arrived via raven mail that Svenn asked to see Raben to say goodbye. The meeting was bittersweet as once more Raben greeted an ailing wizened relative and friend. Raben sensed the end of Svenn's life was near. Svenn smiled wanly, remembering the brave manner his grandfather faced his death, with dignity and aplomb. Svenn had lived a good life and now wanted to finish it with grace and a smile saying goodbye to those he loved.

Raben asked for an emergency session of the Bazram council. “Svenn will soon die. There is nothing I can do to postpone the inevitable. The best thing we can do for him is to celebrate his life. I hereby call for a Bazram Festival to celebrate Svenn’s life. We should schedule it for 7 days from now. I doubt we’ll have much time after that point.”

“Isn’t that a bit macabre?” one of the elders asked. “Normally we celebrate a life after a person passes on.”

“That’s because the living don’t want to face the person dying,” Raben gently rebuked. “That’s especially true when the person dying is having trouble facing their end. But there are people like Svenn. He knows and admits he’s dying and is not afraid to face death. He understands and fully accepts that dying is the final act of life. I can think no better way to thank a person for a life well lived than to celebrate their life WITH them. I want us to let Svenn know just how much he is loved and respected while he’s still alive. There is no doubt knowing he’s lived a fruitful life, experiencing our celebration of his life will help ease his passing.”

The celebration was scheduled. Via local Bazram raven mail word of the celebration and the reason quickly spread throughout the province. Knowing Raben was present and wanted the celebration for Svenn before he passed motivated the Clan Corvoians. All those who were able quickly set out for Olvishaugen to attend.

As the preparations continued, Raben took a walk along the shore to think. In his 235 years he’d witnessed thousands of deaths. For each death his grief was just as visceral. While the pain was sadly real, he was thankful he hadn't grown inured to it happening.

It was a warm sunny late spring day with a gentle breeze coming of the fjord. Thousands had arrived for the celebration including many Sami Corvoians. Tents had been erected in every available space to provide sleeping quarters. Raben had already sent raven mail messages to Barmaz to bring additional food to replace what the massive gathering would use.

Svenn sat under a canopy greeting all who arrived with a smile and laughter. As night fell, in the flickering torch and bonfire light, Raben and Ollie accompanied Svenn, who although not easily, was still able to walk. The trio slowly made the rounds of the revelers enjoying joint recollections taking many rest breaks. As the night progressed, aided by several mugs of mead, Svenn surged with energy, jovially joining his grandchildren and even a few great grandchildren in a rousing dance around the main bonfire. Clearly winded but smiling broadly he sat to rest... and that rest became eternal as his smiling aging visage nodded down to his chest. The music and festivities ground to a brief halt as everyone realized the great man had passed on to the next life.

“Let the party continue,” Raben called out as tears ran down his cheeks. “Svenn has died the way he lived, with a smile! We have given him a tremendous sendoff! A toast... To Svenn Olvrisson... May we always remember his loving smile!”

The party resumed as Svenn sat smiling in his chair until the dawn. With the rising sun, they placed him in the simple wooden coffin he’d ordered built. For several hours people passed his smiling corpse saying goodbye. At noon they carried him to the burial mound, to the canopy covered grave he’d ordered dug a week before Raben arrived. The canopy was struck and his coffin lowered. Raben was the first to toss a handful of dirt atop it. Everyone followed, nearly filling the grave.

The next day Raben met with Ollie and his council to review Bazram’s growth and future. Trondheim Fjord was solidly Corvonian. The present population target for the northern Clan Corvo was 600,000, but that would grow as the territory grew. The current population was 295,880. Like all of Clan Corvo, the birth versus death ratio yielded an average 2% growth each year. Even if no neighbors sought to join them in 35 years, they’d reach their target population at which point they’d have to move the excess population, averaging 12,000 people a year, to other Clan Corvo locations. The only thing that could push off reaching their maximum population was to continue to expand the area of Bazram.

Raben met with the Corvoian Sami elders to discuss their situations, especially those who lived north of the arctic circle. The Sami as far north as the Ofotfjorden with the village of Narvik {GM 68.438000, 17.402553} at it’s end joined the Clan Corvo. The entrance to the fjord was 65 miles north of Boda which brought in 3500 people. Many younger Bazram people, eager for the challenge, had moved north marrying Sami and many Sami youths went south to Olvishaugen so that the disparate ethnicities were blending with the new stronger than the sum of it’s parts. Many Sami had joined the Pathfinders and were eager to explore.

The elders embraced the change for they saw they were treated as equals to the Norse and those from Barmaz. The Sami legends, lore and history were being recorded and preserved as the new technology brought from far south made their lives better and more comfortable. Raben headed north to Narvik to see the new areas for himself and to show the famous Demon Slayer to the Sami people and listen to their joys and sorrows, often correcting minor issues before they had time to escalate.

Raben returned home in late September knowing the Norse Clan Corvo was thriving under Ollie’s guidance. That winter in the main library in Champery Raben reviewed the ancient texts. The Phoenicians explored the Mediterranean coast of North Africa, establishing Carthage and numerous smaller colonies. About 500 BCE Hanno the Navigator explored the West African coast. Raben compared the data Pathfinder explorations had made with the Greek writings, confident Hanno reached the Moa River {in PD Sierra Leone}. He may have gone further but the Clan Corvo expeditions had turned back at what they dubbed the Cape of 3 Points {in PD Ghana} so Raben had no reference points to compare. Several texts reported that about 600 BCE Egyptian pharaoh Necho II sent hired Phoenician sailors down the east Coast of Africa from the Red Sea to circumnavigate the African continent. The writings of Herodotus indicated hey sailed south, rounded the Cape {of Good Hope} heading west, then made their way north to the Mediterranean and returned home. The writings tell that the sailors paused each year to sow and harvest grain and do maintenance on their vessels. While Herodotus recorded the story, he doubted it’s veracity since the sailors' reported that when they sailed along the southern coast of Africa, they found the Sun stood to the north whereas everyone knew the sun was always to the south. However, Raben thought the tale was true. During the times he overwintered in Bazram he’d seen Sun barely raise above the southern horizon and noted that even in the summer it was further south rather than familiarly nearly overhead of the Mediterranean. When in Dakar in Senegal the sun was still to the south but much closer to being directly overhead. Since the further south you went, the higher the sun transited the sky, Raben believed that if one traveled further south, the transit of the sun could cross to the northern half of the sky. Raben decided it was time to re-establish exploratory voyages.

Just after the new year, raven mail told Raben the work on the Mazbar enlargement and increased fortifications had been completed after ten years of work. The tunnels were completed with the hidden underground aqueduct supplying the compound with water filling the moat. The overflow created a small stream that headed east around the toe of Mons Vaticanus to join the Tiber River.

Seeing the ever increasing turmoil of the Roman Empire including the sea raids by the Angles, Saxons, and Scotti, Raben ordered better defenses for the Corvus Shipping bases with room for all citizens to take refuge. The Isle of Man, Belle Ile En Mer, Isla De San Martino and Ibiza were to begin construction fortifying the beaches against invaders. On the other islands walled towns were to be built and the harbors fortified for sea or land attack with artillery set up on watchtowers.

Raben established 3 rotating series of 3 vessel exploratory expeditions starting in 397. Each mini-fleet would consist of 1 clinker, a 100 ton Caravel, and a 180 ton caravel. The 55 crewmen would also be Marines. There would be 50 Pathfinders and a troop of 79 Raven Raiders 32 ravens, 1 wolf and 7 horses. One unit with Sami mixed into the crews would be based at the shipyards at Levanger in Bazram. They would sail west from the Shetland Islands. The other 2 units would be based out of the shipyard at Madeira. One would follow the coast of Africa south from Senegal. The other would head due west from the islands of Flores and Corvo in the Azores.

The African explorers were to sail south from Senegal for 2 months meticulously charting the coast and rivers before returning. They would turn in their charts and review their findings with the next exploratory crew who would follow the previous route double checking the charts then begin their own explorations once they reached the turn around point of the previous crew.

Those heading west would sail for 2 months or until they discovered land, whichever came first. If they found land they could spend additional time exploring but were to return to port no later than 6 months after leaving. Plans were also made so that as soon as one voyage returned, reports and maps would be made and another 3 ship expedition would set out until something was found or to pick up where the previous crew stopped.

The 3 ships sailed west from Flores on their voyage of discovery. Although they did their best to sail due west it was practically impossible as they often had to tack into the wind during the voyage. Ravens flew out each day scouting ahead. They were into the seventh week when several ravens returned performing the ‘dance' that indicated they'd encountered seabirds and in what directions. Two days later the ravens reported they'd found land. Late the following day, nearly 8 weeks after setting out and just before they were due to turn back, the ships spotted land. They stayed off shore as night fell.

In the morning the clinker vessel led the way as they cautiously sailed closer to shore, plumbing the depths looking for signs of shoals and white water. They saw long white sandy beaches with grass covered dunes. Some were narrow, others wide with some shrubs and a few small trees. Behind the barrier islands were shallow bays with tidal marshes. Many meandering waterways snaked through the marshes. The barrier islands continued north and south. Near present day Ocean City, NJ, the clinker went ashore to erect a visible marker to serve as a rally point. One caravel then sailed north and the other south, each for 3 days while the clinker explored the large bay behind the barrier island {Great Egg Harbor Bay}. The larger vessels stayed safely off shore or at best entered the bigger bays. The smaller clinker went deeper into the marshes. The bays showed no sign of habitation. From a crow's nest atop the main mast, a lookout sought to chart a safe course towards the mainland.
What they saw inland was massive marsh which gave way to trees {Tuckahoe Wildlife Management Area in New Jersey}. Then as the tide went out the lookout spotted people with baskets moving onto the exposed hammocks and sand. They were carrying woven baskets and wooden rakes. The men did the heavy work with the rakes as the women and children scooped up clams into the baskets. Teens speared fish trapped in the shallows. When someone finally noticed the ship, they all froze, staring in wonder at the bizarre craft. Dropping anchor, they lowered a small boat with six armed men to slowly row to the shore.

The meeting was cautious. Clearly conversation was impossible. The people had black hair. Their skin was darker but not as dark as the Africans. None had any type of foot coverings and the clothes they wore barely maintained their modesty. The sailors were able to make the natives understand they wanted water. Cautiously, tentative trading began.

Over the next few days the clinker launched their small boat exploring the marshes. Others visited the native village, clearly a temporary camp. The natives had a few canoes and were invited to visit the ship. Both sides were cautious but friendly. What clearly surprised the Corvoans was they natives had never seen a bow and arrows {Bows, arrows, maize, beans and squash didn't reach the Eastern Seaboard until between the years 500-600}. The natives were clearly impressed with the ease of hunting deer. Water supplies were replenished, fire wood replenished and fish caught. A few bows and arrows, several steel knives and an ax were given as gifts. After 5 days they bid farewell and sailed out of the bay into the ocean to the rally point.

The larger caravel went north along the barrier islands sailing into the larger bays {Great Harbor behind the Jacques Cousteau National Estaurine, Barnegat Bay, Sandy Hook Bay, Raritan Bay, Lower Bay and into Upper Bay east of Manhatten} before turning back. They used their small boat to go ashore to replenish supplies. In the area of Lower and Upper Bays they saw people on the shore but they fled in fear from the large ship.

The smaller Caravel sailed into the Delaware Bay and up the river as far as Wilmington before turning back. They saw a handful of people who fled when they tried to get close. They too replenished their supplies.

With replenished supplies they shared their discoveries, deciding to sail south. They bypassed the Delaware Bay. They sailed along the shore outside the barrier islands. The long thin barrier islands were a new landform, very few existed on the western coasts of Europe and none were as extensive. After about a 120 miles they encountered the Chesapeake Bay. Sailing up this bay they saw some natives but no permanent villages. There were several tidewater rivers on both sides. They sailed 2 days up the bay before turning around.

They continued sailing south for several hundred miles past virtually continuous barrier islands. The biggest was Hatteras {GM 35.248975, -75.582497}. They sailed into bays scouting rivers but did not go inland. Several times they stopped to replenish supplies. They saw natives inside most bays but saw no permanent villages. When they made contact, most were cautiously friendly but they were able to trade. Water supplies were replenished, fire wood replenished, fish caught, even deer hunted.

After a week they noticed palm trees on the shore and native villages with wood framed thatched walls and roof with logs hollowed and shaped into canoes. They did manage to trade with the villages, trading iron axes for supplies. The natives called the place Florida. After skirting and exploring the coast for a week the shore line curved westward. The beaches thinned and disappeared into swampy wetlands and marshes with sandy barrier islands and shallow bays and sounds. The overflight of ravens reported open sea with no land for at least 50 miles to the south and the marshes extended at least 50 miles north. Being south of the Azores they turned northeast heading home.

About 75 miles out the umbrella of ravens reported land. Following the birds they found tropical islands, Grand Bahama {GM 26.622651, -78.527529} and Great Abaco {GM 26.385119, -77.100728}. Both were surrounded by reefs and shoals with dozens of small islands inside the shoals. Making a close approach was dangerous and there were no inhabitants. Using the small row boats they topped off their water. The ravens reported more islands to the south.

After leaving they continued sailing northeast to reach the Azores Archipelago. They had gone about 700 miles when the crows flying overwatch returned indicating they'd spotted land. They turned to head toward the area the ravens indicated. After another 100 miles they discovered a small cluster of uninhabited islands, Bermuda {GM 32.367868, -64.686665}. Once more they replenished their water before once more sailing for home.

They reached Flores 2 weeks later, 16 weeks after setting out on the exploratory voyage. Raven mail was dispatched reporting on the successful voyage. Raben was quite exited by the vastness of what they reported deciding to personally investigate the discovery of this new world. The problem was how to get the time to do so.

The voyage along the African Coast did a detailed charting of the coast, bays and rivers. They reached the Peninsula of Mussulo about 200 miles south of the Congo River in Angola.

The northern Bazram fleet sailed northwest from the Shetlands. Near sundown at the end of the first day the ravens returned indicating they’d found land to the north. The ships sailed north during the night and by morning they sighted an island. The Faroe Islands are a grouping of 17 uninhabited but habitable treeless islands with a subpolar oceanic climate. The islands had natural protected harbors and were perfect for sheep. They were 210 miles northwest of the Shetlands.

After two weeks they once more set sail west. At the end of the second day the ravens returned once more reporting land to the north. They saw the island shortly after dawn. They were 375 miles northwest of the Faroe Islands. The large island was 39,315 square miles, only 23% being with vegetation and 63% being tundra and 14% lakes and glaciers. Many fjords punctuate Iceland's 3,088 mile coastline, which is where most settlements are situated. The island's interior is a cold and uninhabitable combination of sand, mountains, and lava fields and volcanos. It took several weeks to sail around the island. There were forests of northern birch along with aspens, rowans, common junipers and other smaller trees, mainly willows. None grew to great heights and the soil was thin meaning great care would be needed to avoid destruction of the biome. By the time they’d completed the exploration of Iceland, it was time to head back to base.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 56: 397-398 CE: Exploring the New World

Raben was delighted to learn of the success of the two western exploratory voyages. Raven Mail dispatched to Bazram told Ollie to line up 2 battalions of Pathfinders with at least 50 Sami in each to head out in the spring of 398 to prepare the Faroe Islands and Iceland for colonization. Two 4 ship exploratory fleets were ordered to continue west since the southern western explorers had found a new continent. Each exploratory min-fleet would consist a 360 ton caravel, a 180 ton caravel, a 100 ton caravel and a 24 ton clinker. An additional 1492 colonists would be included in the 398 colonist transfer to Bazram to make up for the 1492 Pathfinders being dispatched. Raben also ordered 4 battalions of Pathfinders west to establish bases and prepare for colonists on the islands of Bermuda, Hatteras, Great Abaco and Grand Bahama. The 6 battalions of Pathfinders sent to the 6 to establish the new island bases meant 4476 people had to be diverted from settling in Senegal. Each Pathfinder battalion included 2 - 100 ton caravels and 5 - 24 ton clinkers to transport between islands and around the coasts as well as to fish to supply the unit with food. Finding nearby fishing areas was part of their tasks.

From the Madeira shipyards a 28 ship exploratory fleet consisting of 7 large 360 ton caravels, 7 medium 180 ton caravels, 7 smaller 100 ton caravels and 7 small 24 ton clinkers was to sail with the Pathfinders to the island groups. From Bermuda, the exploratory fleet would split into sub-fleets of 4 ships, 1 of each class. Raben would sail with the fleet.

In the Eastern Roman Empire Eutropius, a eunuch who was head of the Imperial palace in Constantinople, gathered together a military force composed of Romans and Goths to face the threat posed by the invading Huns. By the end of 398 he succeeded in restoring peace in the eastern empire even though they never engaged in full battle. Since the Hunnish forces were already leaving the area by the time the Roman forces were gathered, the crises was averted. The Huns left the Eastern Roman Empire by 398, invading the long time Roman opponent, the Persian Empire. Initially successful, upon coming close to the capital at Ctesiphon, they were defeated badly during the Persian counterattack and retreated through the Caucasus Mountains.

In the Western Roman Empire, General Stilicho was regent and Magister Militum for Honorius. To secure his position and influence, Stilicho married his daughter to Honorius in 398. Both were 14.

The Norse fleet left Levanger on the April 1, 398 for the 2 day voyage to the Shetland Islands, then after a 1 day replenishment, sailed northeast to the Faroe Islands, a one day voyage. One battalion of Pathfinders with their ships off loaded onto Streymoy Island in Kaldbaks Fjord at Sund. Since there were no trees, all lumber had to be brought in. With plenty of stone available, all building was done with stone with an adobe like mixture of mud and dried grasses filling the spaces. Three feet tall spruce, pine and mountain Birch tree seedlings were amongst the cargo with the intent to start limited forests. Sheep and sturdy ponies were also imported. Imported lumber was used to frame doors, windows and the turf roof. A raven roost was established. The ravens on the fleet and those of the second Pathfinder battalion spent a week getting familiar with the locale so they could find it on return flights. The fleet sailed on after 3 days of unloading the base supplies.

The 2 day voyage to Iceland’s southern shore went smoothly. Then another day sailing west around the Reykjanes Peninsula into Lambhúsatjörn Cove where the Pathfinder battalion established the base at Reykjavík. While there were forests on the island, the trees were mostly slow growing birch and Rowen trees. Three feet tall spruce and pine seedlings were amongst the cargo with the intent to start faster growing forests. Sheep and sturdy ponies were also imported and a raven roost established.

After 3 days unloading the exploratory fleet set sail west. They knew from the initial exploration the western most peninsula of Iceland, Point Bjargtangar {GM 65.502419, -24.530250} was just below the arctic circle. Since they didn’t want to head into the arctic circle they decided to sail west from that point Midday on the second day the raven overwatch returned signaling they’d spotted land. As evening approached they spotted Kulusuk, a rocky island, 360 miles from Iceland. The ravens had been trained to find sites that might be suitable for settlement and they indicated a site not too far away. Ammassalik was another island with a fjord they named Nordfjord. A small bay in the west of the fjord was a perfect anchorage and just below the arctic circle. Tasiilak {GM 65.613930, -37.629415} would be the perfect site for a way station for ships and raven mail. They spent a day exploring the area. It was 469 miles from Reykjavík. From there they headed south along the jagged fjord filled coast with glaciers coming down into the fjords. They could see some bare rock with virtually no vegetation. They skirted the coast mapping the numerous fjords but not fully exploring them. The clinkers went in with the 100 ton caravels staying near and the 180 ton caravels staying within sight of the entrance while the 360 ton caravels held station out at sea. In this way the fleets hopscotched one another making decent charts while traveling faster than a single fleet. After 5 days and 472 miles the land curved west and the coast revealed the mountains and fjords were ice and snow free. They decided to continue skirting the coast. After 70 miles the fjords changed from an east/west alignment to a north/south alignment. The land on the sides was of the fjords were green with grasses and bushes as well as small forests of mostly white birch along with gray-leaf willow, rowans, junipers and willows. After exploring several fjords they found one that seemed suitable for a small settlement. The entry to the fjord was 460 miles from where they reached the land mass. The Vatnahverfi peninsula lies between the Igaliku fjord and the Tunulliarfik Fjord. There are dozens of nearby settlement spots in the area and much grassland. Igaliku {GM 60.988852, -45.416796} was the location chosen for a future base/settlement spot. Igaliku, was accessible from either fjord being at a neck in the peninsula just 1.3 miles wide forming a saddle less than 50 meters in height. The distance for raven mail flight was 400 miles from Tasiilak, sailing was 3 days, 610 miles. Sailing direct from Reykjavík was 5 days, 923 miles. After two weeks of exploration the explorers set off west.

After 600 miles, at the end of the third day the ravens reported land slightly southwest of their course. There were islands and a peninsula but the land was uninhabited, rocky and nearly barren. The ravens flew out to see what was near. The ravens reported barren islands 120 miles to the west and 60 miles to the north. To the south the tundra peninsula widened with many fjords. Again the two min-fleets hopscotched as the headed south. After 3 days and 300 miles they finally began to see small trees and grasses mixed amongst the rocks but still no sign of habitation. The next day 40 miles further south they found a tiny seasonal settlement at Nain. The 20 native people fled inland. After a week of exploration and 610 miles south of first landfall they found a larger village on a peninsula in Sandwich Bay by Favorite Tickle. {A tickle is the Newfoundland word for a passage of water between land.} Cartwright had a population of 80 natives who, while wary watched the huge ships approach. Cartwright {GM 53.708532, -57.019407} was 661 miles from Igaliku across the Labrador Sea.

The clinker headed to shore to meet the locals. As would prove crucial in meeting the natives peacefully, it was the presence of women in the fleet that eased tensions. The natives seldom made raids against their neighbors and when they did they never brought females. Females only accompanied them when on peaceful trading missions. The northern Innu, or Naskapi, lived on the vast Labrador plateau of grasslands and tundra, hunted caribou for both food and hides to cover their long, domed houses. Using canoes they fished for eels and fish and hunted seals, supplementing their diet gathered roots, berries and maple sap. Innu also hunted beaver and bear. The Innu traveled by canoe in summer, and snowshoes and toboggans in winter. They called themselves Nanénot, 'true, real men’. Once assured the strangers came in peace, they began trading with the fleets restocking.

After 3 days they resumed traveling south. They covered 200 miles over the next 2 days reaching the northern point of Newfoundland. The mainland shore curved southwest and the raven overwatch reported islands. It was decided the fleets would split up to sail around the large island. Each fleet sailed 10 days covering 950 miles meeting in Placentia Bay. Together they returned to Cape Anguille, the westernmost point on the large island, a 2 day voyage. Late morning on June 2 their Ravens returned crocking excitedly indicating they should turn southwest. They had never seen the ravens behaving in this manner so they turned southwest. The entire raven overwatch flew off ahead of them. An hour later the lookout called out seeing sails on ships approaching. As they came closer they could see their ravens swirling overhead with other ravens. In another hour they saw four ships much like their own flying the Clan Corvo banner. They had found the Clan Corvo fleet that was exploring north up the east coast of the new land!

The 12 ships exchanged excited greetings. Both fleets needed to refurbish their supplies. After comparing notes they realized they were both nearly equidistant from their previous proposed base location and had been looking for a suitable spot. The ravens of the southern fleet reported a suitable spot nearby so the 12 vessels moved south to Cape Breton Island sailing down the west coast. By late afternoon they saw 3.6 mile long by 0.8 miles wide Cheticamp Island which was separated from the large island by a 1/4 mile wide channel. One sub-fleet sailed around the outside of the island while the other 2 fleets sailed down the channel.

Just before the southern end of the channel a 3 fingered bay opened into the main island. They sailed into the triple bay exploring each. The center one, Redman Basin, seemed to provide the best protection and had a small stream flowing into it. There was a small native village nestled by the encroaching forest with many canoes on the shore. The ships sailing around the island joined them. A small group was dispatched to the shore where the natives cautiously greeted them. The fact the Clan Corvo explorers had women with them went quite far in relieving their anxiety. It didn’t take long to begin trading.

The Mi'kmaq were a semi-nomadic people living in dispersed interior winter camps and larger coastal communities of up to 200 during the summer. They used the bountiful timber to construct canoes, snowshoes and shelters with animal skins and sinews. The spawning runs of March began their movement to converge on smelt spawning streams. They next harvested spawning herring, gathered waterfowl eggs, and hunted geese. By May, the seashore offered abundant cod and shellfish, and coastal breezes brought relief from the biting black flies, stouts, midges and mosquitoes of the interior. Autumn frost killed the biting insects during the September harvest of spawning American eels. They dispersed into smaller groups into the interior where they hunted moose and caribou. The most important animal hunted was the moose, using nearly every part: for example, the meat was processed for food, the skin for clothing, tendons and sinew for cordage, and bones for carving and tools. Other animals hunted/trapped included deer, caribou, bear, rabbit, beaver, porcupine and small animals. Bear teeth and claws were used as decoration in regalia. The women used porcupine quills to create decorative beadwork on clothing, moccasins, and accessories. The weapon used most for hunting was the bow and arrow. They hunted marine mammals: porpoises, whales, walrus, and seals.

They decided the place, which they named Cheticamp {GM 46.598046, -61.011341}, would make an ideal base. Cheticamp was 659 miles {582 miles by ravenmail} from Nantucket, and 623 miles from Cartwright {520 miles by ravenmail}. Four ships, 1 from each of the Norse fleets and 2 from the southern fleet sailed south to complete the circumnavigation of Cape Breton Island. The composite fleet sailed 90 miles to the point the southern fleet began the trip around Cape Breton Island. Then they turned back returning to Cheticamp after 2 days.

The next day the southern fleet headed south to return to Bermuda. The northern fleets split, 1 fleet sailed north to where they’d stopped exploring the coast to sail around Newfoundland, the other to head south to follow the shore west, splitting to explore the sides of Prince Edward Island. The 2 fleets explored the rest of the Gulf of St. Lawrence and several miles up the St. Lawrence River before they reunited and headed back retracing their path.

The large southern fleet left Madeira on April 1. They sailed to the Azores replenishing at Flores. They sailed west for 17 days to the Bermuda Islands, a group of low-forming volcanoes consisting of 181 islands with an area of 20.6 square miles and 64 miles of coastline. The 746 Pathfinders landed with plenty of supplies. Their 7 ships would see to their local needs for transport and fishing. The Pathfinders landed on the main island, secured sources of fresh water, planted crops, built barracks and improved the natural harbor at the western end of Little Sound. They would be ready for colonists in 399. The large fleet spent 3 days in Bermuda unloading supplies and checking their vessels after the long voyage.

As they left Bermuda, 1 sub-fleet and with one Pathfinder battalion split off heading northwest as the rest headed southwest to the Bahama Islands. The northern sub-fleet accompanied the Pathfinder battalion fleet to Hatteras Island {GM 35.248975, -75.582497}, 665 miles northwest of Bermuda, to set up a base for colonization. The curved island is the largest barrier island on the east coast. Like nearly all barrier islands, they are made of sand created by tidal and wave action over millennia. The super sized sandbars rise above the water and once vegetation takes root, storms either build the accumulation higher or strip it away. Hatteras is the tip of the eastern seaboard thus it’s shape is formed by the coastal currents. In a straight line the distance from tip to tip is 42 miles but roughly 50 miles along the curve of the land for an area of 33 square miles. Much of the island is narrow between 1000 to 3000 feet wide with the north wing 34 miles long and the southwest wing is 6.5 miles long. The main portion of the island is a curved triangle 7 miles long and 3 miles wide. The first 1000 feet from the ocean is beach and grass covered dunes. Behind that is marsh with areas of open water, small channels, grassy and shrub covered hummocks that merge into dry tree covered ground. The highest point is only 26 feet high. The landscape revealed that during storms much of the island was swamped. Crews were sent to the mainland to cut tall pine trees with a minimum of 10 inches in diameter that were brought out to the island. They saw no signs of native life. Just in from the Pamlico Bay they built the base facing the mainland. They built scaffolding and pile drivers to hammer the long de-branched, debarked and sharpened trunks at least 25 feet into the sand with a minimum of 12 feet remaining above ground. The buildings were then built atop the pilings.

Once the work was well underway, after a week the 4 vessel sub-fleet sailed north along the coast checking the charts the made by the previous exploration until they reached the Upper Bay east of Manhattan which is as far north as had been explored. They discovered Manhattan was an island and noticed the waves and tide were coming from the Atlantic but also from the East River. As they charted the coast they erected cairns at prominent locations with inscriptions tucked inside. The ships split to explore the north and south coasts of Long Island Sound while two vessels went along the Atlantic coast of Long Island. They spent 2 weeks charting those coasts before continuing east and north. They found 2 islands, Martha’s Vinyard and Nantucket {GM 41.253429, -70.065406}. Nantucket was 510 miles northeast of Hatteras and 685 miles northwest of Bermuda making it suitable for a future base. They continued north exploring the eastern seaboard sailing into the Bay of Fundy. There they found themselves trapped in mud as the tide went out. They spent a week exploring the weird tide phenomena since they had difficulty believing the difference between low and high tide was 55 feet! There were 2 low and 2 high tides each day, with about 6.25 hours difference between the 2 extremes. They checked the tides at numerous locations within the bay which runs from the Gulf of Maine in the southwest ending in the northeast. The bay is 135 miles long and 45 miles wide narrowing to 29 miles wide 107 miles in at which point it splits into the Chignecto Bay in the northeast and the Minas Basin in the east both of which narrow drastically to their end.

After leaving the Bay of Fundy they sailed around Nova Scotia. The ravens reported a narrow channel, the Strait of Canso, separating a large island, Cape Breton. They decided to sail up the ocean side of the island. On June 2, as they approached the northern tip of the island, Money Point, their raven overwatch returned crocking excitedly indicating they should head northeast. They had never seen the ravens behaving in this manner so they turned northeast. The entire raven overwatch flew off ahead of them. An hour later the lookout called out seeing sails on ships approaching. As they came closer they could see their ravens swirling overhead with other ravens. In another hour they saw eight ships much like their own flying the banner of the Clan Corvo. They had found the exploration fleets that had set sail from Bazram! After completing the circumnavigation of Cape Breton the fleets split with both continuing their missions.

While the first sub-fleet moved north the rest of the fleet headed southwest to the Bahamas. Great Abeco and Grand Bahama islands each received a battalion of Pathfinders to establish bases. One sub-fleet began to explore south through the rest of the Lucayan Archipelago of more than 700 unpopulated islands, cays, and islets in the Atlantic Ocean. Besides the 2 islands with Pathfinders, 17 other islands could be colonized. The most distant island was Inagua. The raven overwatch reported a large island to the south so they set out finding Hispaniola which was sparsely populated by natives. They found the natives cautious but eager to trade. After erecting a cairn on the northwestern tip they headed east along the north coast. At Punta Cana they left a cairn and sailed east to Puerto Rico. They then continued east through the Virgin Islands then headed back to do complete charting of the coast of Puerto Rico. They headed back to finish Hispaniola.

One sub-fleet sailed west to Florida to continue along the coast in that direction picking up where the previous fleet had stopped. The remaining 4 sub-fleets sailed southwest across the Gulf of Mexico. They spotted Cuba so 1 sub-fleet peeled off to explore that island. They found sparse native populations on the island, and while suspicious, they were able to trade and replenish their supplies. After charting the island they turned sailed east along the northern coast to reach the southeastern tip of Cuba, crossing the 57 mile distance to Hispaniola where they found a cairn left by the fleet heading south through the islands from the Bahama. They saw the island was populated like Cuba. The note said they were proceeding east along the north coast so the fleet decided to head down the west coast to the Cap des Irois where they left a cairn. They then turned west to check out a large island the ravens had reported when they explored the southern Cuban coast and again from where they were at the moment. They found Jamaica, also sparsely populated, and charted it, and headed back to Hispaniola to resume the southern coast charting. As they reached Punta Cuevitas they met the other fleet. Together they headed back to Grand Bahama.

The 3 remaining sub-fleets continued sailing southwest through the Strait of Florida the to the Yucatan Peninsula landing to replenish at the barrier island of Cancun. There was a native settlement on the barrier island living in houses built on platforms and they had rugged well built ocean going log canoes. They made their living by sea fishing and shell fishing with small gardens. Utilizing his language abilities, Raben was able to learn much. After a day rest and replenishment, 1 sub-fleet headed north, another south to explore and chart those coasts. The Florida sub-fleet met the north Yucatan sub-fleet at South Padre Island in PD Texas. Together they sailed back to Grand Bahama. The south Yucatan fleet explored the coast to the Bay of Venezuela then turned north to Grand Bahama.

The third fleet stayed at Cancun with Raben. The city of Coba controlled the region and was 76 miles inland from Cancun. Down the coast were two ports, Xel Ha was 71 miles around the coast from Cancun and Tulum was 9 miles beyond that, both were 28 miles from Coba. Raben sailed his sub-fleet south to Xel Ha because it had a well protected cove, the Caleta Xel-Ha. The ships could anchor with easy access to supplies. The crew and Raben marveled at the sea trade coming and going into the harbor since it was all conducted by the ocean going canoes. Once they discovered Raben could fluently speak their language, the Mayans were quite interested in learning all they could from the small foreigner. Raben began a lexicon of the Mayan language. Runners from the port had communicated the arrival of the strange huge ships with sails. The locals had seen the many ravens coming and going with the ships which only added to the awe these strangers evoked. The local ruler sent an armed party to investigate.

The raven overwatch spotted them approaching so Raben sent his crews back to the ships to get ready to fend off possible attacks. When the locals saw the ravens land next to Raben they realized he could talk to them! Perhaps he was a god come to earth! Word of that was quickly sent to Coba and the armed party. The king of Coba decided he'd better meet this strange god and sent a runner to tell the armed party to politely delay the stranger.

The armed party was wary when they approached the harbor. The size of the ships was indeed daunting! Despite their fear they arrayed themselves as befitting the greeting of a god. Raben had himself rowed ashore sending the rowboat back to the ship. As they exchanged greetings Raben sensed the military commander was clearly itching to test his warriors against the strangers. The general was able to control the urge to fight since the king was on his way. Raben sensed the uncertainty of the situation.

“Since the king is on his way I’ll go meet him,” Raben declared as he began to head down the causeway.

“Wait,” the general called out. “The king wants to see your ships. We must wait for him to arrive.”

“Nonsense,” Raben exclaimed. “If he wants to see my ships we can return together and talk as we travel!” With that he turned and began to run down the wide causeway.

The guards didn’t know what to do so stepped aside as Raben ran past them. The exasperated general ordered his men to follow Raben as an escort. Of course, Raben could run for hours at near the speed of a galloping horse, far longer than a horse could run. Within a mile he had outdistanced his increasingly desperate pursuers. Even the runners the general sent to go ahead to warn the king couldn’t keep up with Raben. Ravens kept swooping down to speak to Raben as he ran keeping him posted on his pursuers as well as the king who was just leaving Coba with his retinue. Raben spotted the king 3 miles outside of Coba a bit less than 2 hours later. Raben krocked to the ravens who returned and flew circles over his head as he slowed to a walk approaching the king. The king and his retinue stopped, filled with apprehension as they saw the small white skinned youth approach with over 20 raucous ravens circling his head like a feathery black tornado. The guards nervously readied their spears.

When they were 20 feet apart Raben KROCKED and the ravens fell silent. One landed on each shoulder and ten at his feet as the others circled higher. He spoke to the king. “Greetings Red Jaguar, I am Raben Corvo, leader of the Clan Corvo, speaker to animals and Demon Slayer.”

Red Jaguar and his retinue were surprised by the confident demeanor of the young boy and how fluently he spoke their language. They were also awed by his reddish hair and piercing green eyes.

“Kneel when you greet the King, impudent one,” a man snarled as he lowered his spear and stepped toward Raben.

“You call me impudent?” Raben laughed while not flinching. Reading their emotions he knew he had to be confident and tough. “You dare to speak for your king? Heed my warning, dolt, I’m one person you do not want to antagonize. I am 237 years old and have personally killed 943 people in combat. Either put up your spear and step back or prepare to die!”

The outraged man screamed in anger and lunged aiming for Raben’s gut. The ravens took to the air. In stead of attempting to avoid the lunge, Raben drew his sword. As the spear skewered his gut Raben swung the sword decapitating the man. The man’s body collapsed with gouts of blood spurting from his neck as his head bounced and rolled down the causeway.

No one moved, stunned by the brief savagery. To there amazement Raben didn’t collapse but smiled as he sheathed his sword.

“Damn! I hate when this happens,” Raben chuckled. “Red Jaguar, you really should teach your men better manners. If I was a normal person, he would have killed me.” Then Raben grew serious. “If I wasn’t a good person, I’d be tempted to simply kill everyone in your city. Now, watch very closely so you can see for yourself I am NOT one with whom you want to trifle!”

With that Raben grasped the shaft of the spear and with a hand over hand motion, shoved it through the wound. Then he shoved his fingers into the wound to push the shaft deeper. Reaching around to the back, he grasped the bloody shaft and awkwardly pulled it all the way out. Once it fell free he brought the spear to the front to examine it. “This is a well made, sturdy, good balance, it’s a shame it was wasted on such an arrogant bastard.”

Needless to say everyone’s eyes were locked on Raben as he removed the spear and examined it. The bloody hole in the front and back of his tunic providing evidence that he had indeed ben skewered. Their fear and awe grew palpable.

“As I said I’m a Demon Slayer,” Raben smiled almost ferally. “I can’t be killed, I can’t be poisoned, and I do not age. I can fight your entire retinue by myself and kill everyone. I do not WANT to prove that to you but I WILL do that if you do not deal with me and my Clanspeople with honesty, honor, and fairness. Does EVERYONE understand that?” With that he shrugged off his tunic. The wounds were nearly healed with the blood flow ended. He turned in a circle so they could see the entrance and exit wounds. “You can see I’m already healing. In another five minutes there will be no sign I was injured. I came here in peace, I’d like to leave in peace. You’ve already lost an inept man. There is no need to lose anyone else.. So... let’s start again... Greetings Red Jaguar, I am Raben Corvo, leader of the Clan Corvo, speaker to animals and Demon Slayer.” The ravens landed about him.

“I am Red Jaguar, king of Coba,” Red Jaguar replied firmly after a few moments to gather his wits. “We welcome you to Coba.”

“I thank you for the welcome,” Raben replied. “Let us walk together to Xel-Ha. I’ll let you and your advisors tour my ships.”

The walk took the rest of the day. They reached the harbor an hour before sunset. Red Jaguar’s eyes widened as he took in the size of the 4 vessels, especially the huge 360 ton, 150 feet long by 35 feet wide 3 masted caravel.

The next day the Mayans were taken on a tour of the vessels. Raben ordered the crew of the smaller vessels ashore to serve as hostages while he took the Mayans out on the 360 ton caravel. The Mayans were amazed by the sails filling with wind and the speed the ship achieved without the need to paddle. The working of the sails were explained and a brief explanation of how to sail in any direction. They returned to port 3 hours later. The Mayans were more than impressed.

Raben told them he could not give them a ship but he could let the best Mayan carpenters examine the clinker explaining it was the easiest to build and sail and was easily scaled down for smaller vessels. Iron axes and carpentry tools were given as part of the trading. The Clan Corvo shipwrights even began to assist the local carpenters as they began construction of their own clinker. Eager Mayans were taken out in the clinker to teach them how to handle the single mast vessel.

Raben discovered much about the Mayan and he explained much about the Clan Corvo. The city of Coba was about 350 years old. The city was growing into it's prime. Step pyramid temples and other monumental stone building were being constructed. Plazas, palaces, temples and pyramids, as well as courts for playing the ball games that were ritually and politically significant to Maya culture were features of the city center. Without metal tools working with stone was difficult and time consuming. Each King wanted to leave a monumental stone legacy. Outside the ceremonial center of the city the surrounding buildings were built on low flat platforms of packed dirt inside low stone walls. The area around Coba was experiencing strong population growth and the city dominated the eastern end of the Yucatan Peninsula including the north of the state of Quintana Roo and areas in the east of the state of Yucatán. This power resided in its control of large swaths of farmland, control over trading routes and, critically for a Mayan city, control over ample water resources.

Raben was impressed with their writing and mathematics on stela and altars recording the political, social and religious history of the Maya using the long count calendrical system. Maya cities were surrounded and supported by a large population of farmers. Though the Maya practiced a primitive type of "slash-and-burn" agriculture, they also displayed evidence of more advanced farming methods, such as irrigation. The Maya were deeply religious, and worshiped various gods related to nature, including the gods of the sun, the moon, rain and corn. Raben wasn't surprised to learn that the top of Maya society were the kings, holy lords, who claimed to be related to gods and followed a hereditary succession. They were thought to serve as mediators between the gods and people on earth, and performed the elaborate religious ceremonies and rituals so important to the Maya culture.

However it was their agriculture that amazed Raben. Maize was one of the most important crops but so too were root crops such as sweet manioc. Beans, squash, amaranth, and chile peppers were also important food sources. Maize was typically boiled in water and lime, and eaten as a gruel mixed with chile pepper for breakfast or made into a dough for baking on a flat-stone as tortillas or flat cakes and as tamales, stuffed and baked in leaves. Fruits eaten included guava, papaya, avocado, custard apple, and sweetsop. A frothy chocolate drink and honey were also popular desserts. Another very popular drink was pulque beer, known to the Maya as chih and made from fermented agave juice. The bottle gourd was cultivated to make containers from its hard but light-weight fruit shell. The copal was valued for its resin which was burned as incense and used for rubber. Varieties of beans were grown, including pinto, red and black beans. The ancient Maya also relied on tree cropping for access to foods such as tomato, chili peppers, avocado, breadnut, guava, soursop, mammee apple, papaya, pineapple, pumpkin and sweet potato. Various herbs were grown and used, including vanilla, avocado leaves, garlic vine, Mexican oregano, tobacco and allspice. Maize, squash and beans were the known as the 3 sisters since they were planted together. The maize provided a framework for the beans to climb and the squash protected the soil from erosion and evaporation.

The vast majority of their farming was slash and burn agriculture, a farming method where trees and other plants are first cut down and allowed to dry, then the entire area to be planted is burned. The Maya would then plant in the rich ash that resulted. However, after two or three years, the soil and ash was depleted and had to be allowed to lie fallow for five to 15 years. Raised bed farming was used alongside canals. The Maya also farmed fields raised up from the low, swampy areas. They created these fertile farm areas by digging up the mud from the bottom and placing it on mats made of woven reeds two feet above the water level. In the canals between the beds were fish, turtles and other aquatic life. Water lilies grew in the water and prevented the water from drying up. Raised bed farming was quite labor-intensive but very productive. Each field provided two or three crops a year.

Raben noted the undeveloped areas were thin soiled thick forests. The slash and burn technique meant massive deforestation. Deforestation meant more rain runoff which meant soil erosion and lowering the water table. The larger their population, the more deforestation resulted. Raben had witnessed the results of deforestation in Europe, one of the reasons he was so insistent about replenishing the forests when they cut timber. While he tried to explain to the Maya they would eventually farm themselves to extinction, the time frame of their personal experience was too short. Those in power had not seen how lush their lands had been a century or 2 before so they had no concept of the damage they were doing. Raben realized it was his long life and long view of changes that enabled the Clan Corvo to prosper and avoid disaster that awaited the short sighted.

When the fleet sailed after 6 weeks, Raben had arranged for regular trading missions. Six Mayans volunteered to return to accompany the sub-fleet to see the marvels of the Clan Corvo. But most important was the seeds and seedlings he carried with him. Maize, squash, tobacco, manioc, peppers, tomatoes and several varieties of beans would revolutionize agriculture for the Clan Corvo allowing greater agricultural independence.

One of the many Christian factions in Alexandria, and in much of Asia Minor and the Middle East, were the followers of Origen, a deceased but prominent early Christian Theologian. Initially the Alexandrian Pope Theophilus tolerated and had even been friendly with the followers of Origen. While much of Origen’s theology was accepted and much quoted by the majority of Christians, his view of God being incorporeal contrasted too deeply with the anthropomorphic view of Nicene Christianity. In 399, local Alexandrian Nicene monks hostile to the ‘blasphemy’ of Origen began actively protesting the Origenists and vandalizing their property. Under increasingly intense political and religious pressure, Theophilus suddenly turned against the Origenists, joining in the persecution of the ‘blasphemers’. Placing himself at the head of soldiers and armed servants, Theophilus marched against the Origenist monks, burned their dwellings while beating any they captured. Nearly 10,000 Origenist monks and their followers were killed in the turmoil. All this from the religion that preached love. Raben was even more determined to keep the Clan Corvo out of the internecine turmoil taking root in Christianity as it bloodily progressed from a valid vibrant faith to a selfish arrogant religion.

The new crops from America were planted in Madeira where the climate was favorable. The intent was to propagate them for a year then to spread them throughout the Clan Corvo lands. In 399 Raben again accompanied the fleets, this time heading to the Shetlands to catch the much larger northern fleet. The Faroes and Iceland were each getting 2000 colonists, some of whom were Sami to assist with the northern climate. A troop of Pathfinders, 79 people including 25 Sami, with three clinkers landed at Tasiilak Greenland to establish a way station base. This would be a permanent base to service fleets and raven mail but they would not colonize the area. The people would be rotated out 20 each spring and 20 each fall so no one would be permanently assigned to the remote barren base. The fleet spent 2 weeks unloading lumber and supplies as well as assisting the construction of the base buildings.

The fleet continued on to Igaliku, Greenland where a battalion of Pathfinders began to establish a base, raven mail and colony. Sheep and sturdy ponies were offloaded. Again the fleet spent 2 weeks unloading supplies and lumber and building the base.

Then they moved on to Cartwright, Labrador where another battalion of Pathfinders would set up a base, raven mail and colony arriving just before noon. The native Naskapi people remembered the strangers from the previous year and were cautiously eager to trade for their iron tools and axes. They were surprised when the young boy stepped forward with 2 men they had met last year, greeting them in their own language. They were astounded and frankly disbelieving when he claimed to be the leader of the strangers.

“I am indeed the leader of the Clan Corvo,” Raben smiled as he read their emotions. “There are more members of the Clan Corvo than there are stars in the night sky. I am also speaker to animals, healer, hunter, warrior and Demon Slayer. I do not age, I can’t be killed or poisoned, I heal all wounds, and I’m 238 years old.”

It was clearly evident the Naskapi didn’t believe him, but all the people he arrived with clearly honored him. “We mean no disrespect, but you say many things that are difficult to believe,” an elder spoke.

“I understand,” Raben sighed. “I am accustomed to such reactions. Tell me, what do you want me to do to prove my words are true?”

That caught the elder off guard. He looked at the members of his clan for inspiration but saw none.

Raben sensed they were a peaceful people who avoided violence. He understood they would not want to harm him. Looking around their camp he saw smoke coming from a wigwam. “Bring a coal from the fire. Use it to make a large fire in the fire pit. Then I will prove what I say is true.”

It only took a few minutes to have a roaring fire going. Every member of the tribe watched with curiosity as Raben stripped his tunic. “I can be injured but not killed. I will reach into the flames, pull out a burning stick, then extinguish it with my hands. I will be badly burned but as you watch you will see the burns heal.”

That elicited many comments. They watched, many flinching, as Raben reached into the flames. Raben clenched his teeth as the pain engulfed his hand and arm. Fishing around in the flames he picked up a flaming branch 1 inch in diameter and 2 feet long. Lifting it aloft he held it high so everyone could see he held the burning branch. The odor of his burning flesh could be smelled by all. The holding it aloft he reached up with his other hand and began extinguishing the flames. When the flames were extinguished, he waved the branch so all could see, then dropped it into the flames. Then he held his hands high so they could see the nasty burns on his hands and forearms.

“That hurt like hell,” Raben said as he walked around the gathered astounded people so they could get a closer look at his horrific burns. “Now watch closely. I’m already healing.” For fifteen minutes he walked amongst them as he healed. Within an hour there was no evidence he’d been burned.

By then the ships had offloaded sheep, sturdy ponies and many supplies. They set up tents as temporary shelter and storage. Raben asked the clan hunters if they knew if a bear was nearby. Then he krocked and 30 ravens lifted off the ships to swirl around him clearly directing them to search. They flew in the direction the Naskapi.

Soon 5 Clan Corvo people and 5 Naskapi set out. They jogged through the forests with the ravens clearly reporting back to Raben. Within an hour they spotted the huge bear.

“Stay here. Watch and learn,” Raben said as he drew his knife and approached the bear shocking the native hunters. Raben began talking to the bear in guttural grunts and growls. Much to the amazement of the hunters the bear answered. When they were 5 feet apart the bear stood on his hind legs, roared, and swiped his paw at Raben. Instead of flinching away, Raben leapt in aiming the knife for the bear’s heart. The sound of their impact was immediately followed by an ear shattering roar as the bear lunged forward. The duo fell to the ground with a profound THUD. The bear tossed his head and his paws scrambled for a few seconds before he stilled.

When the bear began moving, the hunters drew their bows. Then they saw an arm squirm it’s way out from beneath the bear. The Clan Corvo hunters rushed to the bear, heaving it over to free Raben. Raben thanked the men then kipped to his feet. Turning to the bear, he pulled the knife from it’s chest. With a few strokes he gutted the 700 pound beast. A small tree was chopped down to provide a long carrying pole so they could transport it back to the camp.

The Naskapi were amazed by the tale their hunters told of how Raben walked up to the bear with a knife and attacked it as it attacked him. The bear was quickly skinned, butchered, and roasted over the fire as part of a feast.

Afterward, Raben explained he was establishing a year round base and village on the peninsula. He explained they did not want to displace the Naskapi but hoped they would join his people and become members of the Clan Corvo. He explained with the Clan Corvo mastery of gardening and herding, as well as the large ships for fishing, a plentiful steady food supply was possible. In addition, Raben agreed other members of the Naskapi tribe would be welcomed to join the Clan Corvo. Raben explained more colonists would be coming next year.

While the Naskapi were not sure about joining the Clan Corvo, they were interested in learning more. Raben began a lexicon for their language so that his people and theirs could converse. He began to write down their legends and history. As the buildings were erected the natives saw the techniques used. The interiors were bigger and sturdier than their more portable semi-permanent wigwams. A pier was built and berths made for the vessels staying behind.

After 2 weeks the fleet moved on to Cheticamp and Redman Bay where they would build their last base. Again a battalion of Pathfinders offloaded with their sheep and sturdy ponies. Construction began on log cabins as Raben and 2 men from last year’s expedition set out for the local village of the native Mi'kmaq a mile to the north.

The Mi’kmaq were not as accommodating as the Naskapi although they too were surprised that Raben spoke their language. For the most part the Mi’kmaq were peaceful but they were no strangers to warfare and raids although it had been many years since they fought. Raben explained and demonstrated his unique abilities. They were not at all happy with Raben’s announcement they would be staying and establishing a settlement. Raben showed them the sheep and took several out on a clinker fishing which impressed them. They didn’t appear interested in joining the Clan Corvo. Raben finally had to tell them bluntly the Clan Corvo was there to stay and they would be bringing more people next year. Raben explained he wanted a peaceful coexistence but was prepared to fight. Again he told them he much preferred the blending of their community into that of the Clan Corvo, assuring them their legacy would be honored and preserved. Again the fact women were part of the ship crews and of the Pathfinders kept hostilities at bay. The fact the Mi'kmaq were outnumbered 4 to 1 overall, 8 to 1 in warriors, also had a large part in the peace. Again Raben began a lexicon to facilitate conversations after he left. After 3 weeks the fleet headed back staying a week at each base.

The southern fleet was also busy. They sent a battalion of Pathfinders into the Caicos Islands with intentions of setting up smaller bases on the adjacent Turks islands. A battalion also landed on the Inagua Islands. These 2 island groups formed the southern end of the unpopulated Lucayan Archipelago, the islands nearest to Taino occupied Cuba and Hispaniola. Two additional battalions of Pathfinders landed on the larger islands of the Bahamas which made the north and central portions of the Lucayan Archipelago. A battalion of Pathfinders headed to set up a base on Nantucket. Bermuda, Grand Bahama and Great Abeco each took in 2000 colonists while 1000 colonists headed to Hatteras Island

In the year 400, 2000 colonists headed to Cheticamp, Nantucket, Inagua, Caicos, Grand Bahama and Great Abeco. Bermuda, Iceland, the Faroes Igaliku and Cartwright each received 1000 colonists. Hatteras took 500 colonists. In 401 2000 colonists headed to Cheticamp, Nantucket, Inagua, Caicos, Grand Bahama and Great Abeco. Bermuda, Iceland, the Faroes, Igaliku and Cartwright each received 1000 colonists. Hatteras was capped so received no colonists. The Colonists and Pathfinders in the Bahamas began spreading to the smaller islands in the Lucayan Archipelago. The distance between Bermuda and Flores in the Azores was too far for raven mail. The ravens could fly 24 hours covering 700 miles but it then took 3 days to recover. However working in relays ravens could carry a message from Bahamas to Barmaz in 12 days. By following the bases along the Atlantic coast raven mail was possible. Bermuda and Bahama were within range to Hatteras, Hatteras to Nantucket to Cheticamp to Cartwright to Igaliku to Tasiilak to Reykjavik to Faroes to Isle of Man to Belle en Mer to Barzam.

Britannia was feeling the stress of the continental turmoil. Raids by the Caledonians and Scotti from Hibernia {PD Ireland} and the Franks and Saxons from the North of Europe were increasing and the Roman forces were too weak to stop or even chase them. In early 401 a Scotti raid from Hibernia hit the west coast of Britannia. The estate of a Romanized Briton was sacked with much booty taken. The owner was a priest and his son a member of the local senate and a deacon in the town of Glannoventa {PD Ravenglass} in Cumbria. The 15 year old grandson of the estate owner, a noble by birth, soft and unused to work, was captured and taken to Hibernia as a slave and put to work as a solitary shepherd. While brought up as a Christian the youth was not an active believer. However his solitude, lack of proper food, clothing and shelter strengthened his relationship with God through prayer, eventually leading young Patrick to a fuller understanding of Christianity. He was grateful that the Lord had mercy on his youth and ignorance and afforded him the opportunity to be forgiven of his sins thus leading him into Christianity.

In the latter months of 401, General Stilicho had just reached Raetia to repulse invading Alemanni, when the Visigoths led by Alaric, suddenly marched west from Illyricum into Italy with a large army accompanied by their women and children. Alaric’s original intention was to petition to settle his people closer to Rome since he had a fascination for the 'golden age' of Rome. The governmental officials bluntly spurned his effort so the offended Visigoths were soon spreading desolation through North Italy and striking terror into the citizens of Rome. Italy itself contained no forces with which to resist the Goths. The Imperial court at Milan was immediately threatened by the invasion, but Stilicho, thinking that the emperor's flight would demoralize his subjects, persuaded Honorius to stay put while he gathered troops from along the Rhine and crossed back across the Alps. The Alemanni, who had been invading Raetia, were persuaded to stop raiding and instead be hired as mercenaries by Stilicho. The Alemanni joined the Gaulic legions, whom they had been fighting, in Stilicho's effort to save the emperor.

Stilicho had hoped the spring flooding of the rivers of northern Italy would delay the barbarians long enough for his return; however, spring was late in arriving and the snow-pack melts hadn’t fully started which left the rivers shallow and an insufficient barrier to Alaric's approach. Honorius fled Milan before the Gothic march fleeing south to cross the Po river then followed the Tanaro River upstream into the low mountains of the Piedmont. A contingent of Visigothic cavalry overtook the fleeing emperor forcing he and his court to take refuge in the city of Asti. Alaric brought up his main army and baggage train besieging Honorius in the city.

While that was happening Stilicho hurried back to Italy leaving bare bones garrisons manning the Rhine forts. As the head of the military of the western empire and regent for Emperor Honorius, Stilcho ordered Barmaz to provide provincial troops. Raben lead two mounted divisions of Raven Raiders, 13,572 men and women, 5582 ravens, 2 tigers, 18 eagles, 162 wolves and 18 artillery squads down the Rhone to link with the troops marshaling from Gaul at Lugdunum {PD Lyon}. The presence of the Raven Raiders and their animals unnerved the Gaulish Roman troops and mercenary Alemanni. They felt the ability to control animals was witchcraft and the presence of so many ravens was a bad omen. While Stilicho wanted the troops from Barmaz, the fact they unsettled the rest of his troops did not please him but after summoning them he couldn’t send them back. Raben recognized the issue and volunteered the Raven Raiders to serve as an advance recon cavalry force for the army. Stilicho gladly accepted the offer. Stilicho marched the troops through the southwestern Alpes from Lyons in Gaul through Barmaz via the Col du Mont Cenis to Turin. Learning that Honorius was besieged in Asti, Stilicho quick marched his troops southeast, the shortest route to Asti. At the same time he dispatched the faster mounted Raven Raiders to follow the Po river east then turn up the Tanaro to block the exit of the Visigoths, nearly 3 times the distance.

Stilicho’s march to relieve Asti forced the Visigoths to break their siege. As they were preparing to flee down the river they discovered the disciplined Raven Raiders were approaching. The tales of Raven Raiders battle acumen were well known. Seeing the thousands of ravens flying above the Raven Raiders spooked the Visigoths, as did the eagles, wolves and tigers. They fled upstream away from Stilicho’s troops and the Raven Raiders.

While many of his men wanted to continue fleeing, Alaric determined to stand and fight a pitched battle in the flat land around Pollentia. Both sides knew Stilicho and his men were weary from the weeks long march through Barmaz and over the Alpes through the Col du Mont Cenis pass then the long forced march to rescue Honorius.

Stilicho, hoping to take Alaric by surprise, chose to attack on April 6th, Easter Sunday, in 402, when the Arian Christian Visigoths would be occupied with religious celebration. Stilicho’s troops were not happy about fighting on Easter but since most were only nominally Christian they followed orders. As Stilicho’s main forces attacked, the Raven Raiders were dispatched to swing wide around the battlefield and take out the Visigothic baggage train.

The Raven Raiders flanked the battle and tore through the Visigothic camp with such surprise and speed they captured nearly everyone, including Alaric's wife. Half the wolves and handlers were delegated to guard the prisoners. Needless to say the terrified prisoners were quite compliant. They quickly organized the captured women, children and old men taking names and relationships. The main body of the Raven Raiders set themselves up between the camp and the Visigoth warriors.

Alaric rallied his unprepared army with skill and courage to meet the sneaky Roman attack, routing the Roman auxiliary Alani cavalry, whose king fell in the battle. Ultimately the bloodied Visigoths retreated from the field of battle with heavy losses. However, the Romans suffered equally. Alaric retreated towards his camp only to see thousands of ravens flying above the Visigoth camp. At once he and his men realized the dreaded Raven Raiders had captured the camp and those in it. As they continued forward the Visigoths saw the Raven Raiders were formed up outside the camp ready for battle. The Visigoth warriors turned and fled into the mountains where the horses of the Raven Raiders would be less effective. Raben obeyed his orders to the letter. He was told to capture and hold the Visigoth baggage train so did not pursue them. Stilicho knew his forces were too weary and bloodied to effectively pursue the Visigoths so they secured the battlefield and saw to the security of Honorius thus allowing the Visigoths to escape.

As night fell Raben entered Stilicho’s camp to report. The fact he’d captured so many non combatants concerned the general. They would be useful as hostages to bring Alaric to negotiations but the cost in guards and food would be high. Raben volunteered the Raven Raiders to handle the hostages if he could keep the baggage train using it’s food and tents to support the prisoners. Stilicho, more concerned about the warriors who escaped, quickly agreed. Raben was ordered to move the prisoners away from the Visigoths towards Milan. Raben had neglected to inform Stilicho that in addition to their families and supplies, the baggage train also included the wealth the Visigoths had plundered from Greece and northern Italy during the past 5 years.

Alaric decided to move south towards the undefended Rome. Defending against previous barbarian invasions into north Italy had stripped the city of most troops. With the empire wide chronic troop shortage, they had not been replaced leaving the city virtually undefended. The Visigoth warriors raided as they moved south. Stilicho slowly pursued them but felt he was too shorthanded to fight to a decisive victory because he’d had to send a large contingent of troops to escort and protect Honorius and his court. Their destination was the coastal city of Ravenna along the Adriatic Sea. Ravenna was protected by a ring of marshes and strong fortifications. While the new capital was easier to defend, it was poorly situated to allow it’s troops to sally forth to protect Central Italy from the increasingly regular threat of barbarian incursions. (The city would remain the capital of the western empire until it fell.)

Stilicho followed the Visigoths, finally intercepting them north of the capital. Instead of risking another battle, Stilicho offered to release the captive non-combatants along with a substantial subsidy in return for the prompt departure of the Goths from Italy. Alaric's chieftains and common soldiers eagerly grasped at so easy a prospect of safety, retrieving their loved ones and riches. Alaric was forced to reluctantly comply, in spite of his hopes of capturing Rome.

Moving slowly because of the number of prisoners, Raben reached Milan, then turned aside moving west to the city of Turin, the beginning of the route over the Col du Mont Cenis back into Barmaz. Just before they headed out of Turin heading to the pass, a courier brought word of the treaty which included the release of the hostages. Raben gave the non-combatants their tents and food before releasing them to head east toward Illyricum whence they’d came. The message from Stilicho also dismissed the Raven Raiders once the hostages were released. Raben led the Raven Raiders northwest crossing back into Barmaz, much wealthier than they’d left.

With the Roman financial payoff, which partially made up for his losses with the baggage train, Alaric led his warriors north crossing the Po, closely shadowed by a cautious Stilicho. Once across the river he picked up their non-combatants released by Raben. As soon as the non-combatants were safely sent back to Illyricum, Alaric began plotting a new invasion of the Western Empire, this time to cross the Alps through Raetia into Gaul. Stilicho, kept informed of Alaric's plans and movements by traitors in the Gothic camp, considered the treaty broken. Moving some troops on a swift march along an alternate route to get ahead of the Visigoths, he laid a crafty ambush for the treacherous Visigoths in the mountains leading to the Reschen Pass from Northern Italy into Raetia, Alaric's route north, while Stilicho continued following with his main force. The Visigoths found themselves trapped in the mountain valleys near Verona, surrounded on all sides by Stilicho's forces. In the June 402 Battle of Verona Alaric's army suffered very heavy casualties. Alaric and a loyal core group managed to break through the Roman lines to erect his standard on an adjacent hill, joined by his bravest soldiers. Instead of exterminating the Visigoth threat, Stilicho allowed them to escape to join the noncombatants in Illyricum. The Roman Senate was furious about the inexcusable escape accusing the general of taking a bribe from the Visigoths from their payoff.

By the time Stilicho realized that Raben and the Raven Raiders had made off with so much treasure and wealth from the Visigoth baggage train, it was too late to pursue. Knowing he’d been hoodwinked, Stilicho wisely kept quiet. With all the complaints being directed at him about repeatedly allowing Alaric to repeatedly escape, Stilicho did not need any more flak. For his part Raben kept the Clan Corvo windfall under wraps. Bragging about capturing the treasure would be detrimental to the Clan. He had bigger plans and the extra wealth would assist accomplishing those goals.

In Alexandria, several things happened in 405 that showed the city was deteriorating in arrogant Nicene Christian bigotry. Theon, father of Hypatia, became ill. Although not a Christian he respected Christianity. He was also revered and respected as a wise conciliatory man by the varying factions. As such he often served as a buffer and neutral mediator for disputes, many of which resulted from deeply held religious beliefs. Raven mail notified Raben of the wise man’s failing mortality. Knowing his death would result in more turmoil, Fiach rushed to Egypt.

She arrived in Alexandria 2 weeks after Theon’s death. The entire city was like a pressure cooker. Although mourning the loss of her father, Hypatia who was as knowledgeable and widely respected as her father, did her best to relieve the pressure before it exploded. Fiach was also well known in the city amongst all factions as a respected healer and as the respected co-owner of Corvus Scriptorium in nearby Zamrab. Most people were aware of the legendary story of how Fiach’s great great grandmother, also named Fiach, had helped save the city during the Palmyrene Invasion over 125 years before. Many recalled the Tsnami of 365 after which Fiach’s grandmother with Zamrab stepped forward to help with food or money. She was also well known for her encyclopedic knowledge of the scriptures. No one could best her at quoting scripture nor refute her scriptural reasoning. Working together, Hypatia and Fiach managed to safely release the steam from the pressure cooker. Both understood the issues were far from being resolved.

Fiach could see how things were heading and warned Hypatia about the dangers of going against the patriarchal Nicene Christians. She even offered a teaching position at the University of Corvo in Barzam. Hypatia was flattered but felt an allegiance to her home city and felt compelled to stay to try to mediate disagreements.

In Zamrab Fiach personally checked through the books and writings in the library that did not wholly support Nicene Christianity. Although they had previously been told to box up and ship all such writings to Barmaz, she wanted to be sure it had been done. She did find some tomes that were questionable and explained why to the staff. The library at Zamrab was thus much depleted. The policy on copying scrolls for customers was unchanged, in that whatever was brought in was copied. While a second copy was sent to Barmaz, none were kept in Zamrab. If the Christian zealots ever demanded to search Zamrab, they would find nothing they might consider heretical in their library.

If the zealots discovered they were copying heretical works, they would simply say they had, as a business, been commissioned to copy the work while in no way condoning the contents and allow the zealots to destroy the works. However, the copying of such works was done solely on the top floor of the scriptorium with the scribe working by a window through the adobe walls. All windows in the building were framed in wood. On the top floor the adobe walls had small hollow spaces hidden by the wooden sill. Those spaces were just big enough to conceal the heretical original and copy. If the zealots arrived demanding to search the premises, the top floor scribes had enough time to hide the illicit works.

Satisfied she’d done all she could to relieve the tension in Alexandria, Fiach sailed on to Constantinople to visit the Corvus Scriptorium site at Marzab. The island site {PD Sivri Ada} was well constructed with a small harbor protected by a rocky breakwater. With a staff of 500 on the island, it was not possible to adequately guard the waterless island. Except for the harbor, the rest of the beachless rocky shore was rendered extremely hostile to landings. A massive walled Fort with a single entrance was built. The staff lived and worked inside the defensive walls. Most of the island was channeled to capture and direct rainfall into cisterns which in turn were connected to cisterns deep under fort. The stored water and stored food would last nearly a year. If they came under siege, Raven mail would summon aid from Zarbam. After completing the inspection, it was Raben who returned to Barmaz.

The Danube and Rhine were still only guarded by local auxiliary troops since the legions had been withdrawn to Italy by Stilicho when Alaric had invaded. He kept the legions in the centrally situated city of Pavia along the Ticino River just above it's confluence with the Po River. Pressured by the Huns from the steppes of the east, Radagaisus, leader of the Ostrogoths with 20,000 warriors accompanied by 80,000 women and children as well as their livestock, crossed the relatively unguarded middle Danube in late 405. While most raids prior to 400 were done solely by the warriors, because of the threat of the Huns, they copied the Visigoths bringing their families and livestock with them with no intent of returning.

At the time Stilicho was in Pavia attempting to rebuild and organize his troops. As a result the Ostrogoth invaders stayed closer to the Adriatic Sea avoiding the weaker but still deadly Romans. It took Stilicho 6 months to strip the few remaining legions from Gaul and the Rhine as well as to recruit Alani, Goth and even some Hun fighters to combine with the limited Italian based troops to insure victory. As had become normal procedure in Barmaz, Raven Raiders escorted the recruited troops as they crossed the walled province of Barmaz to Italy.

Stilicho was so desperate for men he actively accepted slaves with the promise of freedom if they enlisted. Naturally the slave owners were not happy about losing their slaves with no recompense. The senate and wealthy landowners were quite upset as they lost crucial workers. That combined with the forced payoff of the Visigoths was the start of the wealthy Romans openly turning against Stilicho. By the spring of 406 Stilicho began moving against the invaders. Many skirmishes were fought but since the barbarians were a mobile force there were no pitched battles. While Stilicho was successful in the skirmishes, he never seemed able to decisively crush his opponents.

What really worried the Christian populous of Italy was that Radagaisus was an enthusiastic egotistical pagan. A large part of his invasion plans were to sack Rome and to sacrifice the nobility of Rome and the Christian leadership to his Pagan Germanic Gods in a reactionary fanaticism born out of resentment to the rapid spread of Christianity amongst other Germanic barbarian groups.

The pressure by the Huns was felt by everyone beyond the eastern and northern borders of the Eastern and Western Roman Empire. Many non affiliated Ostrogoths, Alans, Suebi, Vandals, Quadi and Burgundians, about 100,000 warriors along with 500,000 non combatants and livestock, crossed the Danube in Radagaisus' wake to invade northern Italy through the eastern Alps. The massive onslaught brought additional devastation to the heart of the Empire ravaging the Italian north for months.

Radagaisus had crossed the Apennines Mountains to besiege Florence before heading on to Rome. The city was on the verge of falling to the barbarians encamped outside their walls forcing Stilicho to strike in August 406. As soon as Stilicho arrived with his army of relief, he managed to punch a column of supplies and reinforcements through the Ostrogoth lines into the beleaguered city. However, instead of attempting to crush Radagaisus' army in open battle, Stilicho surrounded the invaders and brought in thousands of the local people to construct a systematic entrenchment surrounding Radagisus' camp. Although the encircled invaders repeatedly tried to break out while the work was still in progress, the Romans were able to repulse every attempt. This was because instead of coordinated mass attacks, the surrounded barbarians attacked in uncoordinated independent actions by tribal groups which were easily repulsed by the well organized Romans. After the fortified lines were completed, with no supplies remaining, with no hope of escape and with a vast number of non-combatants, on August 23, 406 Radagaisus left his camp to negotiate surrender. Stilicho disregarded his promise of safe passage for the barbarian leader by seizing him and had him publicly beheaded as his people helplessly watched. Starving and disheartened, all resistance collapsed. The surviving 12,000 warriors were forcibly drafted into the Roman army.

The captured 80,000 non combatants were sold into slavery with the result that the slave market collapsed. The non-combatant men were old, the women unsuited to do heavy farm work, and the children had to be housed, fed and clothed until they were old enough to work. Added to that was that most could speak no Latin. None were ideal slaves.

When the separately raiding Ostrogoths, Alans, Suebi, Vandals, Quadi and Burgundians who had followed Radagaisus across the Danube heard of his fate, they fled north across the Alpes through the Brenner Pass into Raeta before Stilicho could attack them. The presence of the Huns east of the Danube prevented them from returning to where they’d come from.

The fact Radagaisus had been crushed was welcomed by the general Roman Empire population. The upper class, however, was once more irritated that Stilicho had allowed the other invaders to freely escape. He'd only eliminated 100,000 of the invaders while allowing the other 600,000 to escape with their loot. On top of that the collapse of the slave market hit the upper class merchants in the pocketbook. Not only had landowners lost their prime slaves due to Stilicho's open recruitment, slaves they were able to secure from the overflowing slave market were untrained and of low quality who couldn't speak Latin.

Stilicho had purposely not asked Barmaz to send troops to combat Radagaisus. The Raven Raiders with their bizarre assortment of animals, admittedly well disciplined and crack troops, were simply too extreme to combine with the legions, auxiliaries, and feoderati troops who were awed and fearful as well as distracted when serving with the Clan Corvo troops. Since Raben was personae non gratia to Stilicho since the Visigoth baggage train, Fiach stepped forward. The Romans were overwhelmed with the volume of slaves so when Fiach showed up with an offer to buy, at rock bottom prices, those who were not prime slave material. There were 45,000 children aged 10 and under including nursing mothers and pregnant women as well as 5000 elder women and men. By mid September, the deal was done. Those purchased were taken to the port of Livorno as the slave market began to rebound. Thanks to raven mail, ships from Zarbam picked them up. The ages of the kids had been communicated so their placement throughout Barmaz could be made since the province could absorb the unexpected influx of children. The older people, nearly all had relatives amongst the rescued kids and were placed together.

On New Years Eve 407 the Ostrogoths, Alans, Suebi, Vandals, Quadi and Burgundians crossed the frozen Rhine and invaded Gaul. Some groups headed south towards Barmaz. When they discovered the walls of Barmaz they were stunned by the immensity of the defenses. When they learned it was the home of the Demon Slayer and Raven Raiders, they wisely headed back the way they came to rejoin the other invaders. This invasion was different from previous cross Rhine incursions in that due to the incessant pressure from the Huns, entire tribes invaded with their women, children and livestock with no intent to ever return whence they’d come. With 100,000 warriors and 500,000 non combatants, they blew through the much depleted Frankish defenders, wisely avoiding fortified settlements and border forts.

These people were not raiding, they were quite literally migrating. Never the less they proceeded to devastate the provinces of Gaul, as well as triggering military revolts in Britannia and Gaul. Stilicho was unable to gather enough troops to force them out. The destruction that occurred in Gaul and the lack of an effective response from the western imperial court holed up in Ravenna left Britannia abandoned. The remaining garrisons in the provinces of Britannia, feeling abandoned by the Western Roman Empire, revolted. The garrisons had not been paid for many months. The Franks, Saxons and Angles were continually raiding the southeast coasts and began establishing settlements. Fearful of a massive Germanic invasion and desperate for some sense of security in a world rapidly falling apart, the troops choose their own leader. Their first two choices did not meet their expectations and were quickly killed. In early 407, Constantine {Who would be known as Constantine III} was their third choice. Learning from the deadly blunders of his predecessors, he moved quickly further reducing the bare bones garrison troops in Britannia. They crossed the English Channel to the continent at Bononia {PD Boulogne}. Constantine III secured the Rhine frontier behind the invaders knowing it was too late to attempt to force them out. Stilicho sent troops under a subordinate to stop Constantine III. After some initial success, a relief force drove Stilicho’s general back and saved the rebellion. Stilicho decided to seal off the passes through the Alps to prevent Constantine III from threatening Italy. Barmaz was ordered to keep the rebellious troops out to which the governor agreed. In turn Constantine III garrisoned the entrances from Gaul into Barmaz from his side to prevent Stilicho from attacking. Raben wanted to visit the new world but the continual crises popping up around Barmaz made him loath to take an extended trip.

By 407 the explorers of the African Coast had circumnavigated the continent, the Arabian Peninsula, and reached India. Westward exploration and colonists were moving into the New World. They did this by reallocating those being sent to Senegal, which had reached 3.8 million people. Racial bigotry in Senegal was greatly reduced as the younger populations became increasingly racially blended. The Clan Corvo had explored the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean establishing bases.

Bases were established, each manned by a battalion of Pathfinders, located throughout the Gulf of Mexico and Carribean Sea. The Lucyan Archipelago consisted of the Bahama Islands and the Turk and Caicos. The base at Freeport {GM 26.520804, -78.771989} on Grand Bahama, the northwestern most island and the base at Matthew Town {GM 20.944833, -73.674412} on Inagua the southwestern most island were 509 miles apart. Another base was Sandy Point on North Caicos, 532 miles from southeast of Grand Bahama and 140 miles east of Matthew Town, Inagua. Another base was in Havana {GM 23.092554, -82.327539}, Cuba, 325 miles from Freeport, Grand Bahama. From Havana it was 312 miles to Cancun and 667 miles eastward along the north coast Cuba around to a second base on Cuba, Guantanamo {GM 19.913432, -75.153533}. Guantanamo to Freeport, Grand Bahama was 608 miles, Guantanamo to a base at Guanica, Puerto Rico was 632 miles. Guantanamo to Santa Marta, Colombia was 604 miles. From Guanica {GM 17.951193, -66.229945}, Puerto Rico it was 447 miles to Sandy Point, North Caicos; 630 miles to Port of Spain, Trinidad; and 495 miles to Chichiriviche, Venezuela.

The continental bases starting from Havana were 669 miles to New Orleans {GM 29.926819, -90.010052}; New Orleans 601 miles to Port Isabel {GM 26.070105, -97.209766}, Texas; Port Isabel 486 miles to Veracruz {GM 19.203036, -96.139425}, Mexico; Veracruz 667 miles to Cancun {GM 21.174781, -86.829034}, Mexico; Cancun 459 miles to Lempira {GM 15.263732, -83.776846}, Honduras; Lempira 509 miles to Colon (GM 9.354596, -79.896577}, Panama; Colon 413 miles to Santa Marta {GM 11.246380, -74.212884}, Columbia; Santa Marta 461 miles to Chichiriviche {GM 10.928586, -68.271539}, Venezuela; and Chichiriviche 471 miles to Port of Spain {GM 10.649497, -61.502755} Trinidad. Each base would also serve as the anchor point for a colony. In this manner no place in the vast area was more than 3 days away from another by ship and 1 day away by raven mail.

The Faroes and Iceland were growing, each with populations over 11,000. Igaliku in Greenland and Cartwright in Labrador had reached their population cap of 5000 each. Cheticamp, Newfoundland and Nantucket, Massachusetts were still growing, each at over 17,000. The Nantucket population had spread onto the Island of Martha’s Vineyard and to the Cape Cod Peninsula. Hatteras was over 2400 and had just set up a settlement on the mainland. The North American settlements lived in peace with the natives. At this time the native American populations along the east coast north of South Carolina were sparse so there was plenty of space. Georgia and Florida had higher concentrations of natives. As the colonists learned the local languages, they began incorporating the Native Americans into the Clan Corvo. Trade flowed freely as did ideas and concepts. Both sides learned from the other. Many younger Native Americans along with a few respected elders traveled to the other Corvoian colonies and to Barmaz. They returned home with stories of wonder and the greatness of the Clan Corvo. Several from each colony attended Clan Corvo University, returning to teach their people to read and write as they urged the blending of their cultures in that of the Clan Corvo.

Similar things were happening in the south. The population in the Bahamas and other islands and bases was still growing at 73,000. The base at Colon, Panama had sent out an exploration party having heard rumors of another ocean 3 days away to the south. The discovered another ocean, just 36 miles to the southeast! Raben decided to send more people there. The Coba Mayans were prospering. The trade with the Clan Corvo brought them wealth and better tools. Red Jaguar wanted weapons but those were refused. The Corvoian base at Cancun was flourishing and the Mayan common people, always under the thumb of arrogant kings, saw the difference between their lives of repression and the freedoms of the Clan Corvo. Raben had been aware of the disconnect between the ruling elite and the common people. Red Jaguar would not even consider changing the way he treated the common people, they were merely servants of the God-King. Word of the growing discontent came back to Raben. Raben had to decide what to do about it.

As population growth in areas of the Clan Corvo produced excess of the population cap, they became colonists shipped to growing areas. The early exploration and trading had paid handsomely. Maize, beans, squashes, tobacco, pineapples and chili peppers proved their nutritional wealth. Already the plants had been added to the crops of the Atlantic Islands, Barmaz, Norse Bazram and Senegal in Africa. The crops from Africa flourished in many areas of the Clan Corvo. All Atlantic islands grew bananas and coffee. Sorghum, watermelons and yams added to the agricultural diversity and prosperity of the well fed Clan.

Clan Corvo University made an amazing discovery. In 402, on the Azores island of Sao Miguel, an unusual event happened. Workers were gathering guano from an old lava tube cave, a usual practice since the guano is an excellent fertilizer. The workers built a fire to illuminate the cave and to serve as a source for lighting replacement torches. Each day the fire was in a different location. One day as they were wheelbarrowing a load of guano out, the wheel bounced over the remains of an old fire causing the torch jammed into the load to light the way to fall. As the torch hit the old fire, a tremendous flash occurred. The man was engulfed in the flash of a guttering fire. Fortunately he was only singed but the acrid smell choked the workers. Everyone scrambled to exit the cave.

While no one died, the operation stopped so they could figure out what happened. The initial fears the flash was some sort of volcanic quickly faded. Investigators checked the area of the flash and questioned the workers. The wheelbarrow operator said he’d pushed into the site of an old fire site and the flare happened when the torch landed in the old fire. There was a 6 inch wide 1 inch deep bowl like crater in the floor and all debris blackened in the 2 feet around the crater. The wheelbarrow was also blackened.

They began checking other fire locations. They found ashes, charcoal, guano, and sulfur crystals, none of which were unexpected. The investigators mixed varying combinations of the 4 compounds, then exposed them to fire. A few did violently flare. The results and sizeable samples of ingredients were packaged along with their incident report and findings to the Clan Corvo University. The proto scientists at the university began controlled experiments. The result was the discovery of black powder in 407. Set off in confined spaces it exploded. Raben immediately saw the implications and uses ordering an immediate lockdown on the formula. He also set the engineers in finding ways to make reusable weapons that could shoot deadly objects of different sizes at an enemy.

A factory was set up in Barmaz, well away from the trade routes with strict safety rules. Others was established on Sao Miguel, Madeira and Tenerife. The ceramic fire bombs used by the military were easily adapted to make ideal explosive grenades. Fine crosshatch lines were incised in the clay exterior before it was fired. The wicks used to ignite the bombs were replaced by black powder fuses. A fuse was narrow piece of paper bent into a V with several cotton threads running the length, a solid line of black powder was placed in the V, the 2 sides of the V were folded over to keep the powder inside, additional cotton threads were then wrapped around the paper string and the entire assembly coated with wax waterproofing. In addition, paper tubes of varying width were made, one end crimped shut, filled with black powder, the other end closed, then dipped in wax. These tubes could have a hole poked in 1 end and a long wick inserted, sealed in place with wax. These could be used in excavation to blast rock.

The actions of Stilicho and Constantine III created issues for the Western Roman Empire and Barmaz. Raben was fed up with the stupidity of civil war when barbarian invasions went unchecked. With the massive defensive walls that surrounded Barmaz they were fairly safe from the barbarians. The biggest issue was the internal dispute between Stilicho and Constantine III. It was already established practice that armed merchants or travelers had to turn over their weapons to pass through Barmaz and that any troops had to be escorted by Raven Raiders. This meant neither Constantine III nor Stilicho could move troops through the province without permission. Since the Province of Barmaz was officially an Imperial Province, it no longer fell under the auspices of the Diocese of Gaul, which Constantine III had seized. Thus Barmaz owed no allegiance to the usurper.

Raben then traveled to discuss the matter with Stilicho. While Stilicho was still upset with Raben, he knew he had to agree to meet him when asked. Raben was not gentle.

“Barmaz is an Imperial Provence,” Raben reminded the indignant General Stilicho. “We are subject to the Emperor’s orders, no one else. Despite being Magister Militum, you, General Stilicho, are NOT the emperor. My allegiance is to Emperor Honorius.”

Stilicho was furious at Raben’s attitude. Calling his guards, he had them seize Raben, ordering that he be burned at the stake as an example to any who thought of resisting. When Raben smiled, Stilicho grew incandescent. Ordering his troops to assemble, he had Raben tied to a stone pillar set up in the center of the parade grounds. Faggots of bound twigs, small branches and straw were piled about the pillar to Raben’s knees for a distance of three feet from the pillar. A further 3 feet width of faggots was stacked to 3 feet high beyond that. The faggots were used because they would burn quicker and hotter than slower burning wood.

“This is the vaunted Demon Slayer,” Stilicho announced. “He is nothing! Now watch him die! Light the fire!

Olive oil had been spread over the outer circle of faggots so when a torch was touched to the piled combustibles, it burst into flames. The heat would torment the victim prolonging the agony before the flames actually reached the victim.

Raben had smiled and joked with his captors as they bound him to the pillar and piled the wood. As the flames engulfed the piled faggots, Raben laughed. “I am the Demon Slayer! I can not be killed! You will see and believe!”

The flames grew higher and the fire crackled and roared. Raben felt the heat cooking him but gritted his teeth enduring the excruciating pain. At the same time he held his breath taking only short breaths to avoid searing his lungs. As the flames neared, his clothes ignited as did the ropes holding him fast. Raben felt his flesh blistering and burning. With supreme control he began twisting and straining against his bonds. By that time the outer band of faggots had subsided into smoldering piles as the inner circle burned brightly.

Stilicho was as shocked as his watching soldiers. They had expected him to be dead, not still moving! Yet all could see Raben was still alive and moving. Fear gripped everyone as the Demon Slayer fought his bonds.

Finally the fire weakened ropes binding him snapped. His burning clothing and rope strands fell as Raben shrugged free and calmly stepped from the inferno while biting down the pain. His skin was blackened and cracking as he moved. Yet he was not panicked and moved with deliberation.

After several steps a crispy naked Raben faced Stilicho. “Today is your lucky day, Stilicho,” Raben declared while pushing his empathetic powers to generate fear and awe in the minds of everyone. “Despite your treachery I’m in a forgiving mood. I’ll let you live. But know this. As punishment henceforth I will not allow your troops access to Barmaz. You have lost that privilege! As further punishment, I hereby announce that Barmaz will now annex everything south of the Col de Larche to the Mediterranean along the watershed divide to the village of Ventimiglia on the Mediterranean where a gate complex will be constructed. The passes at the Col De la Lombarde, the Col De Tende and the Col de la Perle will be closed. Defensive walls will be built along the annexed area. Any attempts to prevent this will be stopped with deadly force. Let the word be spread that General Stilicho has earned the enmity of Barmaz, the Raven Raiders, and the Demon Slayer! The Roman Empire will pay the price of his arrogance!”

His words coupled with his empathetic projection to generate absolute terror in all who heard. Especially as they could see the black burnt flesh crack and fall off revealing new pink flesh. Slowly Raben walked to the gate as the healing continued.

Looking at the commander of the gate guard a naked healing Raben bluntly ordered. “My horse.”

The commander nodded to one of the men who rushed off to get Raben’s horse from the stable. As he waited, Raben did some stretches as the last of the burnt flesh flaked off revealing pink flesh beneath. Even his hair began to sprout. The soldiers in the parade ground still stood in formation with every eye locked on the Demon Slayer.

When the horse arrived, Raben pulled a robe from the pack and quickly slipped into it before mounting the horse. “Remember what you saw here today! Anyone who dares face me in battle will die!” With that he turned the horse and calmly rode away.

Once he was out of sight the fear he’d been projecting released. Stilicho was trembling. With as much dignity as he could muster he returned to his office. The shaken officers dismissed their troops who fled the parade ground. That night, everyone who could got rip roaring drunk. The story of burning the Demon Slayer at the stake and his healing from what appeared to be catastrophic burns swept across the Roman Empire and beyond.

The damage to Stilicho’s reputation was nasty. The soldiers no longer fully trusted him. When dispatch riders brought the news, Honorius learned of the failed burning and Raben’s declaration of annexing more territory to Barmaz, he was angry at his father-in-law’s incompetence. Raben showed up in Ravenna 2 days later asking for an audience with the emperor. Although terrified of the Demon Slayer, he felt he had no choice but to approve.

The room was filled with armed guards when Raben was shown in. After bowing to Honorius he spoke. “I’m sure you heard how Stilicho tried to kill me by burning me at the stake. You have doubtless also heard that as punishment I am annexing coastal Narbonensis east of the Rhone River. Since you allow the incompetent man to be your Magister Militum, I need you to issue a proclamation granting that annexation as a permanent part of Barmaz. It will be less area the empire must defend against the barbarians.”

Raben also added that instead of supporting Stilicho or Constantine III, he pledged neutrality in the dispute while guaranteeing merchants safe passage through Barmaz. In turn he insisted on safe passage through territories they controlled for merchants and others from Barmaz. Then to add salt to his brazen demands, he informed Honorius the Raven Raiders would accompany Barmaz merchants and travelers as precautions since neither side could guarantee their safety.

While the request was done politely, everyone knew it was really a demand to legalize what Raben had already announced. The terrified Honorius had the proclamation promptly drawn up, signed it, applied the imperial seal, and handed it to Raben.

Raben thanked the emperor and left, returning to Barmaz. As soon as he entered the newly annexed area, Raben had the Pathfinders and Raven Raiders promptly begin construction on the walls to cut off outside access to the area annexed onto Barmaz. They began at the three Alpine Passes that would be closed blocking them off. At the same time they began constructing a gate complex at the village of Ventimiglia on the Mediterranean Coast.

Neither Constantine III nor Stilcho were happy with Barmaz but they realized they could do nothing to the virtually independent Province. However they also knew they could depend upon the pledge that Barmaz would remain neutral. Both feared the Raven Raiders and the Demon Slayer so they begrudgingly accepted the situation. Raben understood Stilicho and Constantine III would break the agreement if the opportunity presented itself. Barmaz gained the 75,000 citizens who lived in the annexed area. They were offered the chance to join the Clan Corvo or to sell their holdings to the Clan and move out. The vast majority stayed.

Thereafter, Raben sent a division of Raven Raiders with road caravans within the empire. He also decided that since the emigrants from Barmaz would no longer be heading north, the cost of trading along the Rhine was too great. The fleets would thereafter trade around the coast of Europe.

After six years of captivity in mid 407, Patrick heard a voice telling him that he would soon go home, and later that his ship was ready. Fleeing his master, he traveled to a port 200 miles away where he found a ship and with difficulty persuaded the captain to take him. After three days sailing, they landed in Britain. As the entire crew set off to raid, Patrick accompanied them, walking for twenty eight days in a "wilderness" and becoming faint from hunger. Patrick prayed for sustenance. They encountered a herd of wild boar. Since this was shortly after Patrick had urged them to put their faith in God, his prestige in the group was greatly increased. After various adventures, he returned home to his family, now in his early twenties.

By May 408 Constantine III had made Arles his capital. Arcadius, emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, was a weak ruler. His reign was dominated by a series of powerful government ministers and his wife. Arcadius himself was more concerned with appearing to be a pious Christian than he was with political or military matters. Only nominally in control of the eastern empire, he died in 408. His son, 7 year old Theodosius II, became emperor of the east.

Another invasion of Italy by Alaric was prevented in 408 by Stilicho when he forced the Roman Senate to pay 4,000 pounds of gold to bribe the Visigoths to stay out of Italy. This act of submission to Alaric by Stilicho further undermined what little support that remained for him amongst the ruling class and the soldiers. When the news reached Honorius of his brother's death in May 408, he planned to go to Constantinople to help set up the court in the wake of the accession of Theodosius II. Stilicho advised Honorius not to go as it might prove dangerous to be so far from his portion of the empire. Stilicho went in his stead.

That summer, as Stilicho’s newly recruited troops assembled and trained in northern Italy, Constantine III sent troops under general Gerontius into Hispania. Emperor Honorius had several cousins in Iberia who could attack from that direction in concert with Stilicho attacking from Italy in a pincer manoeuver. By striking at Hispania first and defeating the cousins, such a threat was eliminated.

While Stilicho was in Constantinople several people gained the confidence of Honorius, convincing the emperor that his father-in-law was conspiring with Alaric to overthrow him. On Stilicho’s return to Ravenna, Honorius ordered his arrest and on August 22, 408, his execution. Those who plotted Stilicho’s overthrow quickly moved against all of the general’s allies, killing and torturing key individuals and ordering the confiscation of the property of anyone whom he had appointed to office.

Raben decided to take advantage of the chaos created by Stilicho’s death to sail to the new continent. He organized 3 divisions of Raven Raiders and 3 divisions of pathfinders, 40,716 people plus 20,000 colonists for a total of 67,176 emigrants. This required 26,377 additional people from Barmaz. They were heading to 2 sites, 2 divisions of mounted Raven Raiders, 1 division of Pathfinders and 10,000 colonists and Raben went to Cancun. A division of Raven Raiders, 2 divisions of Pathfinders and 10,000 colonists including shipwrights went to Colon. They would cross to the Pacific ocean cutting a road and building bridges as need. Upon reaching the ocean they would build a base and town with a shipyard to build ships to begin exploring the coasts of the new ocean.

Raben was on the first ship of the colonization fleet to land at Cancun. A messenger was sent to Coba announcing Raben’s return and asking for an audience with the Mayan king. Raben promptly began talking to the Maya who worked for the Clan Corvo Cancun base. They were very happy since they were treated with kindness and respect, a very far cry from the disdain and disregard they received from the Mayan upper class. This distinct dichotomy created great unrest amongst the lower class Maya who were steadily growing more disenchanted with their king. A revolt was brewing. Raben talked to hundreds of Maya who wanted to join the Clan Corvo. When he realized how far the discontent had grown, he told the Maya to gather all those who wanted to join the clan Corvo to come to Cancun to do so, warning them to not let the upper class know what they were doing by leaving their homes after night fall in 4 days to head to Cancun, a three day trip by foot.

Great care had been taken not to bring horses to the mainland bases. Two divisions of Raven Raiders and their mounts were hastily unloaded from the fleet at Cancun’s piers and docks so the appearance of the beasts startled the Mayans. Explosive grenades were a part of each soldier’s arsenal. Tobacco was also an essential ingredient, smoked in pipes, the smoldering tobacco was perfect for lighting fuses. Flint and steel with balls of black powder sprinkled cotton as tinder quickly ignited which in turn ignited the tobacco filled pipes. It took 2 full days the 2 divisions of Raven Raiders and 1 division of Pathfinders to come ashore.

At dawn on the fourth day, alone, Raben ran the 75 miles to Coba to speak with Red Jaguar. The Mayan King was not happy. He was aware of the growing discontent amongst his people and knew the source was the Clan Corvo. When he learned that Raben had returned and wanted to meet he sent out word for his warriors to gather in a threatening show of force. When Raben arrived in Coba he was met by the massed Mayan warriors, most definitely not a good sign.

“The king does not wish to talk to you or see you,” the general announced with a sneer. “You are ordered to take your people and leave our lands. If you have not left in 2 days, we will destroy your settlement and all inside! GO WHILE YOU CAN!”

“DO YOU FORGET I AM THE DEMON SLAYER?” Raben replied with disdain. “I will not be threatened by scum like you! I will return to Cancun to gather my warriors. We will return tomorrow. You and Red Jaguar have the night to prepare for your deaths!” With that Raben turned and walked away.

As he did so he heard the twang of numerous bowstrings. Instantly he pivoted to face the Maya warriors. Instantly he saw 200 arrows heading his way. With cat like reflexes he began to swing and wave his hands and arms striking the in-flight arrows easily deflecting them. To the stunned awe of the Maya, they watched in disbelief as he hacked away the cloud of death they had unleashed.

“FOOLS!” The untouched Raben chided. “When I return tomorrow, I will offer you a chance to prostrate yourselves before the Demon Slayer! Those who do so may live. Those who do not will die or be enslaved. Prepare yourselves!”

With that Raben once more turned and jogged down the causeway to Cancun. The warriors were clearly scared. A few had witnessed and the rest had heard how the Demon Slayer had been speared through his gut when he first came to Coba, ignoring the injury to pull the weapon from his body then show those who witnessed how the wound closed and healed. Seeing him do the impossible by deflecting 200 arrows with his bare hands sapped their nerve. None wanted to face him the next day.
Red Jaguar had watched the event, having ordered the archers to kill the invader. Instead the Demon Slayer had demonstrated his abilities frightening him and his warriors. Even worse, many of the lower class common people had watched. Many of those who had been scared of offending the king by going to Cancun decided to leave the Mayan capital.

Once out of sight of the Coba, Raben dispatched a raven messenger ordering the 2 divisions of Raven Raiders with their animal support to immediately set out for Coba. Raben stepped off the road and waited. Shortly after night fell a trickle of people approached Raben’s location. They were the common Maya citizenry. Raben spoke to them as they passed, assuring them they would be welcomed into the Clan Corvo and fed while he took care of the king and the warriors. He warned them that they had nothing to fear from his soldiers who would be coming down the road riding large animals they controlled. As the night progressed the trickle of people grew into a flood. Raben added a warning for them to step off the road to allow his soldiers to pass.

Needless to say the king was livid when he awoke the next morning to discover most of his servants were gone. Ranting and raving he promised they would all be sacrificed to the Mayan Gods. The warriors were also unnerved by the lack of lower class people. The few who remained were clearly terrified. Even worse was that none of them knew how to prepare food. Those remaining lower class people were abused and beaten in retaliation.

It was near lunch when the vanguard of the Raven Raiders column reached Raben. Word was spread to rest and eat, nap if they could, for 3 hours, then he would lead them into Coba. When the rest was over, Raben mounted a horse and led the mounted troops into Coba. The column of Raven Raiders was 3 men wide and stretched out of sight. T

The Maya warriors were gripped with fear when they saw the mounted men. The idea men could ride an animal was foreign to them. They feared they were some sort of monster. As they drew closer the Maya realized the monsters were actual some sort of animal with men riding atop them. When they realized the Demon Slayer was in the lead, riding a great black beast, their fear grew as they realized the men following him on their beasts were his warriors. Upon seeing the column of Raven Raiders stretching down the road the officer in charge realized they were tremendously outnumbered. Then as they grew closer they realized Raben was well ahead of his troops. Between him and the troops were 162 wolves. Beside him were 2 huge black striped orange cats. The local big cats were only 3/4 the size of these monsters. Overhead 18 eagles circled along with thousands of ravens. Totally intimidated, the normally brave and arrogant Maya warriors withdrew to the walls of the imperial palace.

Mayan warriors were an elite privileged class. One of the main goals of wars was to acquire high status sacrificial victims. Human sacrifice legitimized the ruler by intimidating rivals and awing the common citizens. Sacred fluids were obtained through decapitation and cutting out hearts. Certain events such as the death of a leader or birth of an heir required sacrifice. War was fought by and for Maya elites. Because of the lack of beasts of burden and the wheel, traveling long distances created difficult logistics for large bodies of warriors. The city states each fielded professional armies of between 500-1000 men on the battlefield. The armies would line up facing each other posturing and intimidating their enemy. The fighting began with the use of long range weapons like arrows, spears, and slings. Then as they advanced on each other military discipline declined, allowing individuals attempt personal feats of bravery. The common people were seldom active in most conflicts since their low status made them unsuitable sacrifices.

Red Jaguar was shocked when the general reported the Demon Slayer approached with a vast army of warriors riding strange animals accompanied by 2 strange huge cats, 162 wolves 18 eagles and thousands of ravens. Red Jaguar knew he had no choice but to face the Demon slayer. Steeling himself, he arrayed his warriors before his palace.

Raben rode into the ceremonial plaza before the main temple and king’s palace. The 2 tigers strode by his side. The eagles circled low overhead as the 162 wolves lined up on either side. The 13,572 Raven Raiders poured into the plaza, forming in 6 brigade sized units. Behind them came 36 horse pulled wagons forming in twin lines.

“Red Jaguar, many of your people have asked to join the Clan Corvo,” Raben called out. “Thousands have fled their homes heading to our base in Cancun. They see there are no elites in Clan Corvo. All Clan Corvoians have the same rights. None are above others. All are treated with justice and respect. I have granted their request to join the Clan Corvo, thus they are now under my protection. That means the lands they tended now belong to the Clan Corvo. You and those with you have 3 choices. You too can join the Can Corvo and become one of the many. You can stand and fight. Or you can leave. The choice is yours. Decide.”

Red Jaguar and the elite gathered with him were incensed. They were also clearly intimidated by the Corvoian show of force. The 848 Coba warriors were outnumbered 16-1. They could not leave nor could they join the Clan Corvo. Their pride and arrogance left them no choice but to stand and fight. “We will fight! Our Gods will drink your blood!”

“So be it,” Raben answered. “I grant you a few minutes to pray before we destroy you with thunder.”

“We have no need to pray,” Red Jaguar snarled as he signaled his men. The warriors picked up their bows prepared to inflict maximum damage when the Corvoians attacked.

Raben spoke to the animals. The eagles and ravens cleared the airspace, the wolves and tigers sat on their haunches. “Artillary, fire at will,” Raben declared.

The 18 onagers and scorpios launched smoking ceramic balls that arced over the Raven Raiders. When the balls were above the Maya, the balls began exploding. Loud BOOMS echoed over the plaza. As the ceramic balls blossomed in flame quickly fading to a puff of black smoke. The shattered jagged ceramics rained hell upon the stunned Maya, cutting dozens of men down. Those wounded wailed in pain. Before they could grasp what was going on, a second set of ceramic smoking balls soared overhead to explode amongst the terrified Maya warriors. After 5 volleys the Raven Raiders fired their arrows. The Raven Raiders were beyond the range of the Maya bows, but the Maya were withing the range of the more powerful Raven Raider bows. The sky darkened above the disorganized Maya as over 13,000 arrows struck. Four more volleys followed. Over half the Maya were dead. Most of the survivors were wounded. Raben tilted his head back and howled. The tigers roared and the wolves howled, the eagles screamed and the ravens raucously krocked as they charged into the staggering Maya warriors. Within four minutes none of the Maya warriors still drew breath. It was a total massacre.

Raben sent some Raven Raiders to secure the city. Others he led into the royal quarters. The women and children had watched the confrontation. The explosions had terrified them and they saw the carnage wrought. The arrows blanketed the warriors with death. But it was the attack of the animals that chilled them as they watched the warriors torn to pieces. They fully expected the animals to feast upon them.

“You will not be harmed,” Raben announced to the terrified women and children as he entered the crowded royal quarters where the women and children huddled. “I offer to you the same deal I offered your men. You can join the Can Corvo and become one of the many. You can stand and fight. Or you can leave. I do not expect you to fight nor do I want to fight you. If you want to leave we will let you pack, give you supplies, and escort you to the next city. We would much prefer you join us. You will lose your elite status because we have no elite. Nor you will be low class because we have no low class. In the Clan Corvo, everyone is equal. None are better than others. None are superior to others. The choice is yours.”

“You will not sacrifice us?” Red Jaguar’s top wife asked.

“No, we will not,” Raben declared. “The Clan Corvo is Christian. Jesus Christ sacrificed his own life to forgive all our sins so we no longer sacrifice. Obviously, Jesus is far stronger than your gods or we would not have so thoroughly destroyed your warriors, king, and high priest. We will explain our faith as we incorporate you and all your former people into the Clan Corvo.”

Over the next month Raben spoke to all the Coba Maya bringing them into the Clan Corvo. He explained they would all be trained as militia to defend their homes and that women were equals to men. As they grew into their freedom they realized the Mayan elite in the other city states would not like the destruction of their traditional class system and would unite to destroy the cancer of equality. The Raven Raiders scouted the roads to map the area. They also set up checkpoints on the borders with raven mail messengers. The 10,000 colonists settled amongst the 65,000 Maya to help them adapt to their new lives. The Raven Raiders began training the Maya as militia. It would take a few years but the incorporation of the Maya into the Clan Corvo was going well. Raben understood he would need to send colonists and troops to hold the area. Neighboring Maya would abandon their servitude to join the Clan Corvo. There was no doubt in his mind that he’d have to conquer more Mayan city/states.

The other 10,000 colonists 1 Raven Raider division and 2 Pathfinder divisions landed at the base in Colon, Panama. There were many villages and a few towns but no cities in the region. The Pathfinders promptly widened the paths into roads and built bridges over the streams. Others crossed the paths to the Pacific Coast. A town was begun as well as a shipyard. The plans and equipment they brought would enable them to build 54 feet long by 12 feet wide single mast 24 ton no deck Norse clinkers and 52 feet long by 17 feet wide 2 mast 100 ton single deck with forecastle and quarter deck caravels to explore the new coast.

In northern Italy local Roman citizens took advantage of the conspiracy that ended Stilicho’s life to seek revenge against the barbarians who had been repeatedly rampaging through northern Italy. They rose up massacring the families of Stilicho's federated troops. This caused 30,000 troops to defect en masse to Alaric. Honorius in Ravenna was left without any significant military power thus providing an opportunity for Alaric to once more invade northern Italy unchecked.

When Constantine III's envoys arrived to parley, the fearful Honorius recognized Constantine III as a co-emperor in charge of Gaul, Raeta, Britannia and Iberia while he retained Italy and North Africa. Constantine III was thus able to use the troops he’d been gathering to fight Stilicho to finally go after the Ostrogoths, Alans, Suebi, Vandals, Quadi and Burgundians. By then the Quadi had been subsumed into the Suebi. The Burgundians agreed to become Foederati settling in the area of the Vosage and Jura mountains to the western bank of the middle Rhine. One of the two tribes of the Alans aligned themselves with the Burgundians while the other tribe stayed with the Ostogoths, Suebi and Vandals.

In 409, Alaric returned to Italy, finding little effective opposition in the field. Alaric had no choice but to allow the 30,000 former Foederati to exact their revenge upon those who murdered their families. Alaric’s forces then moved south to besiege Rome, cutting off supplies. The walls of Rome were 12 miles long, 11 feet thick and up to 52 feet tall. Unfortunately there was no way the garrison of 25,000 men could hold the walls against a concerted assault. At first the Visigoths were confused by a smaller walled fortress just west of Rome. The massive 4 mile long walls were 50 feet tall and 40 feet thick, a third of it atop the Mons Vaticanus, with only one gate that was clearly designed to be a death trap. Even worse was it was surrounded by a 50 feet wide by 50 feet deep moat with stone glacis of 250 feet to the water and 200 feet on the other side to the walls. The walls were manned with well armed soldiers. But it was the hundreds of ravens that alarmed the Visigoths. After questioning the locals they discovered the fortress was the base of Corvus Scriptorium, the Rome base of the Clan Corvo and that the soldiers on the walls were the much dreaded Raven Raiders. By this time a dismounted brigade of Raven Raiders were stationed in both Mazbar and Zamrab, 2256 men, 927 ravens, 3 eagles, 27 wolves and 3 mobile artillery squads in addition to the artillery based in every watchtower.

A delegation of 10 men exited the fortress under a flag of truce accompanied by three wolves with an eagle and ravens flying overhead. Alaric and his generals met the Raven Raider general. The Raven Raider general declared the fortress, like the province of Barmaz, was neutral, neither favoring nor opposing the Visigoths. They only wanted to be left alone by both sides to conduct their scriptorium business and maintain their trade. Since they didn’t favor one side over the other they did volunteer to act as mediators if needed. It wasn’t necessary to say Raben would be furious if the Goths attacked. Wisely, Alaric agreed to allow Mazbar to remain neutral.

After much bargaining, the famine-stricken citizens of Rome agreed to pay a ransom of 5,000 pounds of gold, 30,000 pounds of silver, 4,000 silken tunics, 3,000 hides dyed scarlet, and 3,000 pounds of pepper along with freeing 40,000 Gothic slaves. The Senate also negotiated an agreement for Alaric to support the usurpation of senator Priscus Attalus in Rome in order to depose Honorius. The Visigoths headed back north to the Po valley.

The Ostogoths, Suebi and Vandals were still ravaging through Gaul but were feeling the pressure of the pursuit by Constantine III’s forces. Upon reaching the Pyrenees they broke through Constantine III's garrisons and entered Hispania. Constatine III appointed his son, Constans, as Augustus, charging him to take over the troops who had been pursuing the Ostogoths, Suebi and Vandals to follow them into Hispania and wipe them out.

General Gerontius, already in Hispania had already stopped the invaders. Feeling he was about to be replaced by Constans, he made a pact with the Ostogoths, Suebi and Vandals to rebel against Constantine III. He raised Maximus, a relative, as an usurper emperor. With the support of the barbarians, the forces of Gerontius fought the forces of Constans. In the north along the Rhine, the Franks took advantage of the internecine fighting to rebel against Constantine III.

In 410, the Eastern Roman Empire sent 6,000 men to aid Honorius. In turn these 6000 Byzantine troops were sent from Ravenna to defend Rome, but were ambushed on the way by Alaric's men, and only a handful of them reached the city. To counter the usurper Attalus, Honorius tried to negotiate with Alaric while simultaneously restricting grain shipments to Rome from North Africa. Since Rome was entirely dependent upon North African grain for its survival, Honorius hoped to make the people lose faith in Attalus.

From the time of his first invasion of Italy, Alaric's primary goal had not been to undermine the Empire, but to secure for his people a regular and recognized position within the Empire's borders. His demands were certainly grand: the concession of a block of territory 200 miles long by 150 wide between the Danube and the Gulf of Venice to be held probably on some terms of nominal dependence on the Empire and with the title of commander-in-chief of the Imperial Army. Faced with growing frustration and pressure from his own people to sack Rome and settle down, Alaric withdrew his support for Attalus and again headed to Rome.

The city, already short of supplies due to Honorius’ grain embargo, was unprepared and disorganized. On August 24, 410, Alaric and his Visigoths burst into the city by the Porta Salaria gate on the northeast walls of the city. The city of Rome, for so long victorious against its enemies, was at the mercy of its foreign conquerors. Wisely, the Visigoths did not rampage through the city. Most Christian churches were saved along with the vast multitudes both of pagans and Christians who took refuge inside. Rome was not entirely spared the horrors usually accompanying the storming of a besieged city. Only the Gardens of Sallust, close to the gate the Goths had entered, were burned. The city was plundered, but not devastated. The usurper Attalus knew he’d be killed by Honorius arranged to stay with the Visigoths as an advisor. Many political prisoners were taken, among them was Honorius' half-sister Galla Placidia. Once again, Mazbar was wisely bypassed.

Gerontius advanced from Iberia into Gaul with the support of his barbarian allies. At about the same time Saxon pirates raided Britain, which Constantine III had left defenseless. Distressed that Constantine III had neglected them in his efforts to establish his own empire and had failed to defend them against the assaults they had hoped he would prevent, the Roman inhabitants of Britain and Brittany rebelled against Constantine III’s authority and expelled his officials. Britain would never again be part of Rome.

Although Raben was unable to return to Cancun in 409 and 410, he had dispatched 5 more divisions of Raven Raiders, 38,430 people, and 30,000 colonists by taking an extra 34,091 colonists from Barmaz. The Clan Corvo Maya added 15,000 indigenous members each year, most of whom fled from the neighboring Maya city/states when they saw there was an option other than submission to arrogant demanding elite. The Clan Corvo Cancun Colony was thriving. Freed from the repression of the elite, coupled with the introduction of metal tools and Corvoian conservation and agricultural practices, agricultural productivity soared. This freed thousands of workers to build paved roads and canals. The introduction of draft animals and the wheel revolutionized the transportation allowing easier and quicker movement of people, food, and supplies. European manufacturing was instituted. There was now plenty of food, the amount of protein in the diets of the common people increased. They grew stronger and more disgusted with how the elite Mayan had abused them. They spread word of the new much better life to their neighbors, many of whom slipped away from their masters for the freedom of the Clan Corvo. The nearest Mayan city/state was Chichen Itza just 56 miles northwest of Coba. {The Maya at this time were still 200 years from the beginning of their peak classic historical greatness of 600-900 CE when their great pyramids were built}. There were 4 other growing cities near Chichen Itza, Dzibilchaltun was 127 miles away from Coba and 72 miles northeast Chichen Itza, Mayapan was 112 miles away from Coba and 56 miles west of Chichen Itza, Oxkintok was 144 miles away from Coba and 90 miles west of Chichen Itza, and Uxmal 132 was miles away from Coba and 81 miles west of Chichen Itza. The kings of the 5 cities understood the danger the Clan Corvo presented to their way of life. They put aside their petty disagreements to begin uniting to face their common opponent.

After sacking Rome, Alaric decided to sail to North Africa to seize the bread basket of Rome which was the key to controlling Rome. The Raven Raider general in Mazbar dispatched disguised scouts to discreetly follow the Visigoths as they marched further down the Italian peninsula. Using their ravens, the scouts were able to remain unseen while watching the Visigoths. Ordering ships to meet his forces in Reggio Calabria, Alaric marched southwards into Italy’s toe. Unfortunately a winter storm battered his ships into pieces and many of his soldiers drowned. In late 410 Alaric died of fever in Cosenza. In accordance of Visigoth pagan beliefs, his body was buried under the riverbed of the Busento River. The stream was temporarily turned aside from its course while the huge grave was dug in the riverbed. The Gothic king and much of his most precious spoils were interred. When the work was finished, the river was turned back into its usual channel and the captives by whose hands the labor had been accomplished were put to death so that none might learn the exact burial location. They had no idea the Raven Raider scouts were watching their every move. Alaric was succeeded in the command of the Visigothic army by his brother-in-law, Ataulf.

Constantine III's response to this tightening circle of enemies was a final desperate gamble. Encouraged by entreaties of disgruntled officials of the western court, he marched on Italy through the passes of the Eastern Alps with the troops left to him. They wanted to replace Honorius with a more capable ruler. Constantine III, though, had too few forces and retreated back into Gaul in the late spring of 410. Gerontius defeated his forces at Vienne in 411 where Constans was captured and executed. Besieged in Arles. Constantine III's position grew untenable.

In 411 Honorius finally found an able commander, Constantius. Leaving Ravenna by sea, he landed at Arles and quickly put Gerontius to flight. Gerontius committed suicide and many of his troops deserted to Constantius, who took over the siege. Constantine III held out, hoping for the return of a general who was raising troops in northern Gaul amongst the Franks. But on his arrival the general was killed in an ambush. Constantine III's hopes evaporated when his troops guarding the Rhine defected to Jovinus, a Gallo-Roman senator. Constantine III surrendered. Despite the promise of safe passage, Constantius had him beheaded in September 411.

Raben made several decisions concerning the future of the Clan Corvo. The massive continual influx of people into Senegal from neighboring areas was too great for a smooth assimilation. For the last 18 years an average of 120,000 neighboring people per year were joining the Clan Corvo from adjoining tribal areas due to the ever escalating tribal warfare in search of slaves. The Clan Corvo represented peace, stability, and plentiful food. The Raven Raiders fielded 25 divisions who patrolled the ever expanding Senegal borders. Any armed incursions were met with overwhelming force and the utter destruction of the antagonists with most going into the Clan’s 3 year slavery. As tribes joined, they brought their land with them into the Clan Corvo, thus expanding the Senegal borders. With security and plentiful food, by 400 CE the birthrate soared to 3% while the infrastructure struggled to keep pace. By 411, the population in the African colony had soared to 5,095,711 people meaning the 3% population growth equaled 139,403 people. Raben decided that for the next 5 years to relocate 140,000 people into Barmaz while Barmaz raised their emigration to 63,000 people.

In South America naval bases were established heading south on the 3 day voyage/1 day raven mail template around the east coast of South America as it curved south as they sought a route to the Pacific. Port of Spain, Trinidad was the last base established as part of the Carribean/Gulf of Mexico bases. The first was Galibi {GM 5.707064, -54.015247},Suriname, 677 miles southeast; then Belem {GM -1.457214, -48.463365}, Brazil, 613 miles south; then Camocim {GM -2.883978, -40.847949} Brazil, 636 miles south; then Recife {GM -8.059969, -34.877450}, Brazil, 644 miles south; Santa Cruz Cabralia {GM -16.282027, -39.021793}, Brazil, 602 miles south; then Rio De Janeiro {GM -22.889729, -43.216452}, Brazil, 394 miles south; then Paranagua, {GM -25.506006, -48.512732}, Brazil, 574 miles south; then Rio Grande, {GM -32.044916, -52.101682}, Brazil, 520 miles south; then Mar Del Plata {GM -38.016539, -57.546608}, Argentina, 544 miles south; then Puerto Madryn {GM -42.775802, -65.034063}, Argentina, 540 miles south; then Puerto San Julian {GM -49.311645, -67.722429}, Argentina. As they continued south the came upon the straits of Magellan where they encountered the Clan Corvo explorers heading down the Pacific Coast.

The colony at Colon, Panama had a sister city, Panama City {GM 8.976170, -79.530875}, across the isthmus on the Pacific Ocean where a shipyard base had been built. The location was part of the Panama colony. With ships built there they began exploring the coast north and south. Bases were established heading south on the 3 day voyage/1 day raven mail template since they knew there was no way around North America unless it was through the ice bound arctic. The first base was established at Muisne {GM 0.611524, -80.017134} Ecuador, 588 miles to the south; then Bayovar {GM -5.823642, -81.035298}, Peru, 472 miles further south; then Paracas {GM -13.834460, -76.250441}, Peru, 657 miles south; then Iquique, {GM -20.213236, -70.142967}, Chile, 653 miles further south; then Huasco {GM -28.462621, -71.224161}, Chili, 577 miles south; then San Vicente {GM -36.724728, -73.131673}, Chile, 589 miles south; then Puerto Aguirre {GM -45.155210, -73.519747}, Chile, 631 miles south; then Tortel {GM -47.802484, -73.538122}, Chile, 344 south; then Puerto Natales {GM -51.736251, -72.499875} Chile, 441 miles south; then Puerto Zenteno {GM -52.789062, -70.808530}, Chile, 368 miles south, on the Straight of Magellan, 207 miles northwest of Cape Horn; then Puerto San Julian {GM -49.311645, -67.722429}, Argentina, 344 miles north, having rounded the tip of South America.

All bases were established with a minimum crewing of a troop of 79 Pathfinders. Over the years, bases that could be used as the base of a colony were increased to battalion size of 746 men who prepared for colonists. On South America, 19 of the 21 bases were colonial. Only Puerto Zenteno, Chile, and Puerto Natales, Chile, the southernmost bases on the rugged rocky Pacific Coast were not designated colonial sites. Both could take small populations but none were to be currently established.

The Bahamas raised to 13,000, Hatteras and Nantucket raised to 5000, Cheticamp dropped to 1000 matching Iceland and Faroes. The Bahamas colonists began dispersing in groups of 3000 to the larger islands of Jamaica and Hispaniola and to the 4 fleet bases on Cuba, Puerto Rico and Trinidad. With the exception of Cancun and Veracruz, the other 6 mainland bases along the Gulf of Mexico and Carribean each received 5000.

Veracruz, the closest base north of Cancun was on the island of San Juan de Ulua in the harbor of Veracuz. The mainland was controlled by the small city/state of Remojadas, {part of the Classic Veracruz culture}, just 20 miles from the island. The entire area was closely associated as a vassal like with the Mesoamerican powerhouse of the time, Teotihuacan. In January 378 a warlord from Teotihuacan "conquered" the Mayan city/state Tikal by organizing a coup d'etat removing and replacing the Maya king. Teotihuacan-inspired ideologies and motifs spread throughout Mesoamerica. As a result, the Clan Corvo base with it’s egalitarian practices was creating discord as some oppressed common people sought asylum in the base.

The king in Remojadas sent a message demanding the asylum seekers be returned for punishment. The base commander demurred, explaining that the policy of the Clan Corvo was to welcome any who sought asylum and until his superiors approved such return, his hands were tied. He did sooth the king’s ambassador by promising not to transfer the refugees away and that he would forward the king’s demand to his superiors. However, it would be at least 9 months until he received a reply from his superiors. The base commander stressed the need to follow established procedures, just as the king expected his people to follow his procedures.

Raben understood the king would not back down and would assault the base. Since the Veracruz culture was closely aligned to the Mayan, Raben ordered 4 divisions of Raven Raiders and a division of Pathfinders to Veracruz. The Clan Corvo had to support the oppressed natives who came to them for succor. Battle would be joined leading to the overthrow of the king as they had done in Coba. The 33,930 troops would be accompanied by 30,329 colonists to begin assimilating the native peoples.

Raben landed with the Raven Raiders. As soon as they were offloaded, they moved to seize the mainland. The Pathfinders began to dig dry moats using the excavated earth to form earthen defensive works. The next morning at dawn Raben led the 27,144 mounted Raven Raiders, 4 tigers, 36 eagles, 324 wolves and 11,164 ravens down the road to Remojadas. They arrived at 11am, promptly surrounding the city.

The king had received word that a large fleet had arrived at the Clan Corvo base and was unloading hundreds of people. Having heard what happened in Coba, the king instantly knew he was about to be attacked. Runners were dispatched to neighboring kings for assistance as he alerted his warriors and other elite to come to the palace. By the time the Raven Raiders reached the city, there were 900 warriors anxiously waiting at the palace. The thousands of raucous ravens terrified them. The tigers and wolves did likewise. The fact Raben controlled eagles, a symbol of might and strength, unnerved them.

“I am Raben Corvo, head of the Clan Corvo. I have come in response to your demand that we return those who were your people that sought asylum with us,” Raben announced. “You can see my answer. While we want to live in peaceful co-existence, because of your arrogant elitism, that is not possible. We will not stand by while people are being abused. Your people came to us because they saw we treat everyone equally. We are here to end your rule and bring Remojadas into the Clan Corvo. You have 3 choices. You can join with us and become a useful member of the Clan, which is what I hope you will do. You can leave with whatever you can carry, however you will do so without servants. Your last choice, which I hope you do not chose, is death. Our forces already control the city and the population. We know you sent for assistance from your neighbors but it will be at least a week before they can get here, if they decide to help you. I give you 15 minutes to decide. If you do not make a decision, we will assume you’ve chosen death and assist you in dying.”

The king, his fellow elite and the warriors saw they were far outnumbered by the Clan Corvo warriors. They were also angry at the ultimatums. They understood, without the need to discuss it, that they could not lose face by joining the Clan Corvo or leave. Their only choice was to die with dignity. They heard what happened to the Coban king. They also heard the families of the elites had been subsumed into the clan. The king could not allow that either. The king ordered the warriors to kill the families of the warriors gathered in the palace to avoid the shame of submission. They would all fight to the death.

The ravens Raben had watching inside the palace flew to Raben. While they couldn’t talk Raben was able to see what they had seen. “Take them out!” Raben shouted as he sent a ‘follow me’ message to the wolves and tigers and an ‘attack the men inside the palace’ message to the ravens and eagles.

Raben leap from his horse to the top of the low palace walls followed by the tigers and wolves. They sliced through the defenders not even stopping to finish them off as they charged into the palace. The eagles and ravens swept in upon the warriors who were about to kill the women and children. Needless to say the birds succeeded as the men screamed as they were raked by claws and had eyes plucked out. The women and children cowered away in fear from the feathered apocalypse. Raben and the wolves and tigers quickly joined the fray killing the warriors before they could accomplish their nefarious deed. At the same time the Raven Raiders swept into those remaining on the walls like a tsunami. The battle raged for less than 5 minutes.

The beasts ravenously feasted upon their reward... those they killed. Raben had killed 8 in the brief fight as well as wounding and capturing the king. Raben ushered the women and children out of the palace past the carnage.

“Your magnificent king ordered his warriors to kill you,” Raben announced. “He’d rather see you and your children dead rather than live after he’s dead. I offer you life with the Clan Corvo. You will not be prisoners or slaves. You will live as equals with the rest of us. As for your king, his arrogance has condemned him. He will be a living example of the price of greed. I will treat his wounds, then I will amputate his genitals, hands, feet, ears, nose and tongue. He will be unable to take care of himself in any way nor can he end his life. He will be displayed for all to see in the public square. Word of his fate will spread making those who would oppose the Clan Corvo think twice about their actions.”

A week later the king was strapped into an iron cage suspended above the square. Unable to speak, unable to move because he was tied down until his wounds healed, people passing by stared at his wretchedness. In turn all he could do was watch as they stared at him. Several times a day the cage was lowered so he could be fed and drink, by force if he didn’t cooperate. All traders passing through and all envoys from other city/states were shown the disgraced king who dared threaten the lives of the innocent. As Raben wanted, it terrified the neighboring states into dealing openly and honestly with the Clan Corvo. The commoner population of the city/state, 35,000 natives, eagerly became members of the Clan Corvo.

With the colony well established Raben sailed to Cancun to take charge of the 12 divisions of Raven Raiders. Ravens had been keeping watch over the entire Yucatan reporting on the gathering forces of the 5 city/states of Chichen Itza, Mayapan, Oxkintok, Uxmal and Dzibilchaltun. They had gathered 5000 warriors and another 25,000 conscripted commoners armed with spears. They were gathered at Chichen Itza as they prepared for battle, sacrificing human lives to their gods.

Raben sent 4 divisions west to come up between Chichen Itza and the other 4 cities. Two divisions headed north to swing around Chichen Itza. Raben led 4 divisions straight to Chichen Itza. Raben sent the tigers and wolves with their handlers, accompanied by ravens, ahead of the troops to eliminate any lookouts and messengers. The commoners were terrified by the fierce animals and readily submitted even though they were no asked to do so. The 3 columns were coordinated via ravens.

Raben’s sudden appearance after dawn in the fields outside Chichen Itza caught the Maya by surprise. They quickly mustered their 30,000 fighters to face the 27,144 Raven Raiders forming their battle lines in a north/south line in front of the city. Raben formed his 12 brigades in a slightly southwest to northeast line Raben rode forward alone to parley with the 5 kings, telling them to surrender. The kings were hesitant to engage since the sun behind the Raven Raiders restricting the Mayan’s vision. They wanted to wait until the sun was higher before engaging.

About 10am there was a clear disturbance in the city with a few clearly startled warrior messengers racing out to the kings. As the kings looked at the harried messengers 12 brigade sized columns of Raven Raiders emerged from the city to form battle lines between the city and the startled Maya. The southern end of the line swung east to link up with Raben’s lines creating a 3/4 circle around the anxious Maya.

The kings were stunned to see so many more Raven Raiders. Knowing they’d already seized the city greatly disturbed them. Slowly they organized and began to withdraw north out of the looming encirclement. Their maneuver halted as 6 brigades of Raven raiders emerged from the tree lines to the north. The Raven Raiders quickly formed battle lines closing the encirclement. Once the encirclement was completed, over 27,000 raucous ravens and 90 eagles gathered to circle above the Maya. At the same time the 810 wolves and 10 tigers stepped in front of the Raven Raiders.

The Maya were clearly terrified. Raben rode forward. “You can not escape. We can and will destroy you. Your sacrifices were wasted since your gods have abandoned you. Lay down your weapons and live.”

The conscripted men were absolutely beside themselves. They had heard how the warriors and king of Coba had been wiped out. Now surrounded as they were they felt they had no chance. They didn’t want to fight but had no choice. The kings realized they were losing the conscripts and ordered the warriors to prevent them from fleeing.

Raben called out orders. The artillery fired the large smoking shrapnel bombs into the gathered Maya warriors as they began to move to keep the conscripts in place. The 270 explosions killed and maimed 500 warriors. The conscripts dropped their weapons and fell to the ground. Before the smoke cleared the battalion of Raven Raiders nearest the warriors lowered their lances and charged into the stunned and befuddled warriors. Even before they exited the formation a battalion from the adjoining brigade charged with lances lowered. Then another, and another. The Maya were not trained to defend against a massive cavalry charged and were sliced to ribbons. Other battalions moved forward to gather up the terrified conscripts to usher them off the battlefield. Raben dismounted and charged the 5 kings. Seeing their chance the kings met the attack. In minutes the five lay beheaded. The warriors tried to rally but were simply cut down by the succeeding cavalry charges until none were standing. Raven Raiders moved through them providing a coup de gras. Less than 50 of the conscripts were killed.

Having prepared, Raven Raiders moved out to occupy the defeated city/states, accompanied by 3000 colonists and 3000 Clan Corvo Maya to begin the assimilation of the locals. The conscripts were allowed to travel home with the occupation forces. The Clan Corvo controlled the northeast portion of the Yucatan from the city Campeche on the Gulf of Mexico along a line heading east to the Carribean at Bahía de la Ascensión. The conquest brought 130,000 Mayan commoners into the Clan.

Raben returned to Europe knowing the warfare in Central America had to continue. The Maya elite were never going to accept the Clan Corvo system of human equality. He left orders to prepare more occupation/assimilation units similar to those he’d just dispatched.

{If some readers are wondering why I have neglected the issues raised by the historical colonization of the Americas and the epidemics that decimated the native populations there is a reason. The transmission of Small Pox occurred through inhalation of airborne variola virus, usually droplets expressed from the oral, nasal, or pharyngeal mucosa of an infected person. It was transmitted from one person to another primarily through prolonged face-to-face contact with an infected person, usually within a distance of 6 feet, but could also be spread through direct contact with infected bodily fluids or contaminated objects such as bedding or clothing. The cleanliness and sanitation Raben had instituted within the Clan Corvo greatly reduced exposure and the likelihood of transmission. Another disease that decimated the native Americans was the measles virus which only emerged from rinderpest (cattle plague) as a human disease between 1100 and 1200 CE.}

Following the defeat of Constantine III, Jovinus, a Gaulic Senator, was proclaimed emperor at Mainz in 411, a puppet supported by Gundahar, king of the Burgundians, and Goar, king of the Alans. Under the pretext of Jovinus' imperial authority, Gundahar and his Burgundians firmly established themselves on the Roman side of the Rhine where they founded a kingdom with Borbetomagus {PD Worms} as its capital.

After vanquishing Constantine III, Constantius presented his head to Honorius in Ravenna in September 411. At the same time Athaulf led the Visigoths north from the toe of Italy. In the spring of 412, Constantius headed to meet the advancing Visigoths. Ataulf, taking the advice of the former usurper, Atallus, led his followers to the borders of Barmaz. The massive defenses following the mountaintops as far as they could see stunned them. With Constantius closing in behind them, they begged for passage through Barmaz out of Italy.

The governor of Barmaz followed Raben’s instructions. The Visigoths had to disarm with the arms to be returned when they left Barmaz. In addition, they had to pay a hefty passage price utilizing much of the treasure they had left. It was only the fact the Clan Corvo NEVER broke it’s word they submitted to the demands. Escorted by several divisions of Raven Raiders, the nervous Visigoths moved across Barmaz into a momentarily pacified Gaul. That their weapons were returned as promised made their anxious trust of the Clan Corvo solid and greatly added to the trust of the Clan Corvo being honorable keeping their word.

The Visigoths lived off the countryside Gaul in their usual way. Since they left Italy, Honorius stopped Constantius from pursuing the Visigoths. The fact Ataulf carried with him, as a respected hostage, the emperor's half-sister Galla Placidia had a lot to do with it. Constantius was not happy that Barmaz facilitated the escape of the Visigoths but had no desire to attempt to breach the formidable defenses of Imperial Province. Once in Gaul, Ataulf opened negotiations with Jovinus. But while on his way to meet Jovinus, Ataulf came across a rival Visigoth, Sarus, commanding foederati Visigoth troops. Ataulf attacked, captured, and executed Sarus, continuing the feud between their families that had begun many years before. Jovinus named his brother Sebastianus as Augustus which infuriated Ataulf who wanted the position and hadn't been consulted. Ataulf promptly allied his Visigoths with Honorius.

Alexandrian Pope Theophilus died on October 15, 412. His nephew Cyril succeeded him on the 18th. Theophilus had kept a lid on the Nicene Christian hardliners. Cyril wanted nothing more than to destroy all Pagans and those Christians he considered blasphemers. As soon as he assumed the role of Pope he began a struggle for power in the city of Alexandria with the Roman Prefect Orestes.

In 412 Raben was unable to return to the new world. To strengthen and secure the link to the Pacific, 20,000 colonists were sent to Colon, Panama. Cancun received 20,000 colonists and 3 additional Raven Raider divisions bring the count to 15. A small number of colonists were sent to Veracruz. The native populations around Veracruz and Cancun eagerly joined the egalitarian Clan Corvo and defections from neighboring areas continued. With the added troops, a campaign was mounted against the major Mayan cities of Becan, Calakmul Zultun, Tikal and Lamanai as well as the smaller vassels city/states extending the Clan Corvo control south to the Belize River in present day Belize and Honuduras and west to the Rio Candelaria in Mexico. Becan and Calakmul thought they were ready for the expected invasion but discovered they were not. The other city/states were unable to form defense pacts with their neighbors and were simply steamrollered by the Raven Raiders. Again the males of the elite and warrior classes as well as the kings died in the brief combat. This vast area brought 350,000 native commoners into the Clan Corvo.

The agricultural practices of the Clan were already producing positive results producing more food from less land, allowing the fields to lie fallow to rebuild the soil. The use of slash and burn agricultural methods was virtually ended. If a forest was cut down for lumber, depleted fields of the same size were planted with trees to replace it. One of the biggest improvements came as the vital primary crop from the Pacific side of the Andes mountains spread throughout the Clan Corvo in the Americas as well as Africa and Europe, the humble potato.

In 413 Jovinus' troops were defeated in battle, his general Sebastianus was captured, and Jovinus fled for his life. Sebastianus was sent to Honorius for execution while Ataulf besieged and captured Jovinus, sending him to Honorius for execution. The Visigoths took possession of Narbonne and Toulouse in hopes of finally having their own kingdom. Relations between Ataulf and Honorius improved sufficiently for Ataulf to cement their peace by marrying Galla Placidia in January 414,

For the years 413 and 414, the colonists heading to the Americas each year included 3 divisions of Raven Raiders, a division of Pathfinders and 20,000 colonists to Veracruz. Cancun took 10,000 colonists, Colon, Panama took 7195. In 413 the Veracruz colony had 7 divisions of Raven Raiders. Cerro de las Mesas, 31 miles south of Veracruz, was the largest city/state in the region. Since Remojadas was brought into the Clan Corvo 2 years before the king of Cerro de Las Mesas was trying to recruit the smaller neighboring lesser kings to unite to drive the invaders away. Unfortunately his arrogance and demand they all submit to his command led to jealousy. In fact, 2 smaller city/states neighboring the Clan Corvo areas were so bitter about this and past insults, they approached the Clan seeking to ally themselves. The commanding Raven Raider general explained they’d be expected to allow total interaction with the Clan, accepting the elimination of the class system. The kings were wise enough to understand they could accept that reality now or die later fighting a hopeless battle. They allowed themselves to be assimilated.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 62: 413-415 CE: The Nation of Barmaz

Raben set up a base to continually train and supply Raven Raiders in Senegal. Recruits form all over the Clan Corvo headed there to be trained and indoctrinated into the Raven Raider mystique. The Clan Corvo expansion continued in Mexico. In December 413, 6 Raven Raider divisions swept south easily overwhelming Cerro de las Mesas and the smaller city states stopping at the Coatzacoalcos River, 135 miles south of Veracruz for and for 60 miles inland from the coast. In 414 the arrival of an additional 3 Raven Raider divisions allowed them to move 34 miles north of Veracruz, bringing a total of 125,000 people into the Clan. Also in 414, the Raven Raiders from Cancun drove west from the Rio Candelaria 210 miles sweeping through the Mayan city/states of Palenque and Tortuguero linking with the Veracruz at the Coatzacoalcos River bringing in 60,000 natives.

Constantius hated the Goths and poisoned official relations with Ataulf gaining permission to blockade the Mediterranean ports of Gaul. In response, Ataulf acclaimed Attalus, the former Roman Senator, Emperor in Bordeaux in 414. Constantius' naval blockade included Zarbam and Marseilles the ports for Barmaz and the Clan Corvo. While Marseilles was a separate port it became part of Barmaz in the annexation 7 years previously. Needless to say, the Clan Corvo refused to be blockaded. While the Roman’s had 10 ships staged outside the harbors of Zarbam and Marseilles, Raben sent a fleet of 80 heavily armed ships from the harbor of Zarbam, 20 each of the Clinkers, 100 ton, 180 ton and 360 ton caravels. The Roman naval vessels blanched before the overwhelming force and fled.

Raben promptly led 10 divisions of Raven Raiders, 67,860 people, out of Barmaz via the Col de Montgenèvre crossing northern Italy headed for Ravenna, 310 miles away. They rode steadily covering the distance in 6 days. Honorius was terrified. Constantius was scrambling to gather troops to meet the Raven Raiders. The morale of the Roman forces plummeted as the fear of facing the Raven Raiders and the Demon Slayer sapped their will. The speed of the unrelenting advance of the Raven Raiders didn’t leave much time to prepare.

Constantius formed his 25,000 nervous troops in battle lines blocking entry to Ravenna. The Raven Raiders formed in the 30 brigades of highly disciplined troops formed up facing the Romans. Raben took up position 500 feet in front of his troops. At his signal the 10 tigers and 810 wolves trotted through the lines to line up behind Raben. At a second signal 90 eagles and 27,910 ravens took to the air. They darkened the sky as they raucously circled over the by then quivering Romans. Raben rode forward demanding Honorius and Constantius come forward to talk, promising no harm to either. Constanius rode forward announcing he would talk with Raben. Raben sneered. “I’m here because of you! I’ll give you 4 hours to get Honorius here. If he doesn’t appear, I’ll have no choice but to go to him... through you and your troops. Now, get the Emperor!” Raben turned and rode back to the animals to wait.

Just before the time was up the Emperor and Constantius rode out of the Roman battle lines. Raben promptly rode out to meet them.

“Thank you for coming, Emperor Honorius,” Raben began. “If you have not figured it out, I’m extremely angry with Constantius. His fleet attempted to block Zarbam and Marseilles with 10 ships. Fortunately the commander of those ships decided to break off the blockade when I sent out an 80 ship fleet ready for battle. I have another 300 ships ready to sail out to utterly destroy the Roman Navy. In 10 days I can have another 800 ships ready to blockade the Roman coast from Barzam to Greece. I do not dispute your right to blockade the ports of Gaul, but you had no cause and no right to blockade the ports of Barmaz! Emperor Honorius, if you had requested that I block my gates into Gaul in support of the blockade I would have willingly done so. But what Constantius did instead was an act of War! As such the Clan Corvo will not tolerate it!”

“How dare you scold the Emperor,” Constantius snarled as Honorius seemed to draw his head inside his robes like a turtle.

“I dare because I can,” Raben snarled back. “Your incompetence boggles my mind! I didn’t come all this way to attack you. If that had been my intentions both of you and all your soldiers would already be dead or enslaved! I’m here to tell you in person that the blockade was the last straw. Stilicho burned me at the stake and I annexed territory as punishment. But you, Constantius, dared blockade my ports! Emperor Honorius, because of the egregious actions of your Magister Militums, as leader of the Clan Corvo, I am formerly notifying you that Barmaz and all Clan Corvo possessions are declaring their independence from the Roman Empire!”

The shocked expressions of both men revealed how stunned they were by the declaration. “You can’t do that,” Constantius indignantly exclaimed.

“I can and I have,” Raben declared. “I am NOT declaring war on Rome. In fact, I hope we can maintain peaceful relations. I will go so far as to agree to blockade the gates of Barmaz against Attalus. But you must formally request our assistance. The offices of Corvus Scriptorium will serve as Corvoian embassies. Any attempt to attack any Clan Corvo held holdings will be considered an act of war. The ships of the Clan Corvo are ALL military vessels with the crews trained to fight. All are equipped with artillery. At the last count there are more than 5000 - 100 ton and larger vessels in our fleet. The Clan Corvo could easily defeat the entire Roman Empire by destroying your navy and merchant fleets thus starving you. I have 10 divisions of 67,860 Raven Raiders, 67860 warriors, with me. There are 30 more divisions in Barmaz meaning I have 271,440 Raven Raiders immediately available. I have over 50 other divisions at our various colonies that is another 339,300 Raven Raiders. The Raven Raiders have never been defeated. We control much of Africa south of the Sahara Desert. We control large areas north of Germania. Think on this, our recent census showed that the Clan Corvo has 11,765,362 members. EVERY member, male and female, joins the Clan Corvo Militia at age 13. All are trained to fight with spear, bows, slings and swords in a 3 month boot camp. They have additional training twice a year to keep their military skills fresh. That means EVERY teen and adult is trained in combat. You really do not want to try us!”

Honorius and Constantius were clearly shocked by the overwhelming numbers Raben was quoting. Both knew the Clan Corvo was large, but they had never suspected it was that large. Both wondered if Raben’s numbers were simply hyperbole.

“I’m not asking you to grant us freedom,” Raben continued. “It is already an established fact. Your choice now is to accept us. We will do our best not to interfere in Roman affairs, just as we’ve been doing. We may consider giving you our assistance if we judge your cause just. By the same token, if the corruption of the Roman Empire continues, we may have no choice but to destroy Rome and assimilate it into the Clan Corvo.”

“Just remember, we made it here in 6 days,” Raben cautioned. “We could have made it in 3 days if we pushed. Honorius, I suggest you make sure your Magister Militums respect those in authority. This did not have to happen. The actions of your Magister Militums are directly responsible for what has happened. Now, you have been officially notified Barmaz and the Clan Corvo has withdrawn from the Roman Empire. We hope it will be a peaceful transition... but we are prepared... and more importantly... we are able to destroy the Roman Empire if you don’t let us go. Now, just as we came in peace, we will leave. Good day.” With that Raben turned and rode away. The animals rejoined their units and the Raven Raiders fell into line as they headed back for Barmaz.

Constantius was livid. Honorius was angry, not only at Raben’s audacity, but with the actions of his Magister Militums that had created the situations.

“I’ll gather troops, barbarian mercenaries, and we’ll destroy the Corvoian bastards,” Constantius raged.

“You’ll do no such thing,” Honorius chided. “Your actions were wrong. I gave you permission to blockade the ports of Gaul, not Barmaz! He’s right to be upset. We are not strong enough to oppose Barmaz. They have been on the side of Rome since Constantine 102 years ago. He’s still on our side, just no longer part of our side because you overstepped your authority! We both know he could have destroyed us and every man here today. All he did was confront us with evidence of his strength and the abilities of the Clan Corvo. I’m angry, but smart enough to know the Demon Slayer could destroy Rome.”

To save face, Honorius promptly announced that as a reward for the continued unflinching support of the Empire, he had granted Barmaz control of all internal affairs while still remaining affiliated with the Roman Empire.

The blockade on the Mediterranean coast of Gaul was successful. In 415, Ataulf withdrew with his people into northern Hispania leaving Attalus behind. Knowing he was a marked man Attalus fled, was captured and sent to Honorius who punished Attalus by cutting off his right finger and thumb, inflicting the same fate with which Attalus had threatened Honorius years before. Attalus was banished to the island of Lipara, 25 miles from the Clan Corvo island of Stromboli north of Sicily.

Galla Placidia traveled with Ataulf. In Hispania, Ataulf imprudently accepted into his service one of Sarus' followers, unaware that the man harbored a secret desire to avenge the death of his beloved patron. In the palace at Barcelona, the man killed Ataulf while he bathed. Sigeric, the brother of Sarus, immediately declared himself king. A mere 7 days later he was also murdered and succeeded by Wallia. Under the latter's reign, widowed Galla Placidia was returned to her brother in Ravenna.

Orestes, Roman Prefect of the Diocese of Egypt, steadfastly resisted Bishop Cyril's ecclesiastical encroachment into secular prerogatives for 3 years. Tension between the parties increased when in 415, Orestes published an edict that outlined new regulations regarding mime shows and dancing exhibitions in the city, which attracted large crowds and were commonly prone to civil disorder. Crowds gathered to read the edict shortly after it was posted in the city's theater. The edict angered Christians as well as Jews. At one such gathering a deputy of Cyril publicly read the edict and applauded the new regulations, which as intended prompted a disturbance. Orestes had the deputy tortured in public which quelled the riot and marked Orestes' authority over Cyril. Cyril threatened to retaliate against the Jews of Alexandria if their harassment of Christians did not cease immediately. In response to Cyril's threat, the Jews of Alexandria grew even more furious, eventually resorting to violence against the Christians. They plotted to flush the Christians out at night by running through the streets claiming that the Church of Alexandria was on fire. When Christians responded to what they were led to believe was the burning down of their church, the Jews attacked and killed everyone in sight. The Jews of Alexandria could not hide their guilt and Cyril, along with many of his followers attacked the city’s synagogues in search of the perpetrators of the massacre. After Cyril rounded up all the Jews in Alexandria, he ordered them to be stripped of all possessions, banished them from Alexandria, and allowed their goods to be pillaged by the remaining citizens of Alexandria. The Jews were thus banished from Alexandria.

The Christian crowds were so volatile, and somewhat justified in their actions against the Jews that Orestes was unable to interfere. That only made Bishop Cyril more arrogant which intensified the feud between Cyril and Orestes. Orestes was rightly angered that the city was suddenly missing a large vital portion of its population. Both men wrote to the emperor regarding the situation. Cyril attempted to reach out to Orestes in peace overtures including mediation. When that failed, Cyril showed him the Gospels he interpreted to indicate that the religious authority of Cyril required Orestes' acquiescence. Nevertheless, Orestes remained unmoved by such gestures. This refusal almost cost Orestes his life. Monks came from the desert and instigated a riot against Orestes among the population of Alexandria. These were the same monks that had killed 10,000 fifteen years earlier. The monks assaulted Orestes and accused him of being a pagan. Orestes rejected the accusations, showing that he had been baptized by the Archbishop of Constantinople. A monk threw a stone hitting Orestes in the head. The prefect had the man tortured to death, whereupon Cyril honored him as a martyr.

Prefect Orestes enjoyed the political backing and advise of Hypatia, the astronomer, philosopher, mathematician and respected teacher who had considerable moral authority in the city of Alexandria with extensive influence. Several Christians thought that Hypatia's influence caused Orestes to reject all reconciliatory offerings by Cyril. Orestes had cultivated his relationship with Hypatia to strengthen a bond with the sizeable Pagan community of Alexandria, as he had done with the Jewish one, in order to better manage the tumultuous political life of the Egyptian capital. In 415 a mob snatched Hypatia from her chariot and murdered her, hacking her body apart and burning the pieces outside the city walls. News of Hypatia's murder provoked great public denouncement, not only against Cyril but against the whole Alexandrian Christian community.

Fiach had been a friend, confidant and colleague with Hypatia and several times had urged her to flee volatile Alexandria. Hypatia refused. Fiach would long remember the self righteous arrogant intolerance of the Egyptian Christians. It broke her heart to admit the Egyptian Christians were symbolic of the corruption of virtually all organized Christianity. The only exception was Corvoian Christianity which stayed true to the humble servant style of the faith Jesus lived and taught.

The growing corruption of nearly every aspect of the Roman Empire angered Fiach. When Rome granted citizenship to those living in the provinces, it virtually eliminated tribal and clan affiliations. The largest familial relationship was the immediate family. With the continual invasions and related deprivations, not to mention the increasingly repressive Roman taxes, many poor families found themselves living in poverty. Roman law pertaining to the commoners living outside cities and towns who earned their living working the land in whatever capacity increasingly bound them to the land. {A process that, historically, eventually led to serfs and serfdom.} By imperial law, Barmaz was required to capture and return anyone who fled the land to return them whence they came. (Quite similar to the pre-American Civil War capture and return of fugitive slaves.) The walls around Barmaz and the organization inside made infiltration impossible. The only way to get inside was through the gates. Now that the Clan Corvo had achieved independence, Barmaz was no longer bound to enforce those Roman laws. Fiach ordered the border gates to allow fleeing common people to enter.

Those entering Barmaz were placed into a holding area for evaluation. Criminals were weeded out and enslaved. They would have to prove they had changed before receiving their freedom. The rest had to foreswear all previous allegiance and swear allegiance to the Clan Corvo. The news that Barmaz had achieved independence from the Empire and were no longer turning away those fleeing oppression spread rapidly. The requirement they assimilate into the egalitarian Clan Corvo was most certainly not a burden. The Clan Corvo gained nearly 10,000 people a year as the proto-serfs fled their oppression.

With the death of Hypatia, Fiach knew the time was rapidly approaching when the Clan Corvo would have no moral choice but to end the deadly chaotic games being played in the Roman Empire and beyond it's fractured borders. Thousands were killed on both sides during the incessant fighting. On top of direct losses in battle, disease and starvation inevitably followed, especially amongst the losing side. It was not unusual to have up to 50% casualties amongst the warriors and 25% to 50% of the civilians in the aftermath. The continual carnage of war and the resultant famines and diseases was too great to ignore. While the Clan Corvo lived in relative peace and safety, very little of the rest of the world did. Not only that, the squalor of the farms, villages and towns outside the Clan Corvo was a breeding ground for diseases and plagues. The cleanliness standards established by the Clan Corvo would save tens of thousands of lives a year. Then there was the devastation the fighting wreaked upon the farmers, destroying crops, the marching armies living off the land while entire populations suffered starvation.

Raben/Fiach was a person of peace yet also a powerful warrior, the leader of the Clan Corvo and Corvo Christianity and an expert healer. Yet even as he/she sought out ways to bring peace and prosperity to all the world, he/she unhappily realized the only way to bring peace was through conquest and assimilation. The key would be to keep the conquest firmly in line with Clan Corvo mores as much as possible. Salvaging local knowledge, legends, beliefs and techniques would be a priority. Knowing the day when the Clan Corvo would have to take action against the chaotic world was nearing, Raben/Fiach began preliminary planning for the inevitable war of assimilation. The Clan Corvo would need to strike with better than normal efficiency as well as shock and awe. Dubbing it Operation Harmony, it just needed a date to begin. It would be a multi year effort, Raben/Fiach estimated periods of 2-3 years of warfare followed by 25-35 year periods of assimilation. During the times of assimilation supply lines and roads needed to be built, food and weapons stockpiled as well as assimilating the conquered populations and training the next generation of Raven Raiders. Operation Harmony would be spread out over 80-100 years. All that was needed was a valid reason to break her pledge of neutrality.

Knowing that virtually all wars and conquests were lead by men, if Raben led a worldwide conquest it would be seen as simply another in the endless string of warfare that was humanity's past 6000 years. To break this tragic historical repetition, Raben had to step back and fade away. When the time came to take affirmative action, it would need to be led by Fiach, a woman. The fact the Raven Raiders had already integrated women into the fighting force was a major plus, 1 out of three of the elite warriors were female.

As was Raben/Fiach's modus operandi, planning for the future had become habitual. Operation Harmony would result in the world wide expansion of the Clan Corvo. The act of creating Operation Harmony induced much self guilt for doing something she'd resisted for so many years. She'd tried to refrain from military expansionism, but with each passing year the need to go that route increased leaving her no realistic choice but to end the deadly chaos of the nearly incessant warfare and the wholesale death and destruction that resulted from the fighting and indirectly due to famine and disease.

Fiach contemplated the pain she endured watching those she loved and cared for age and die. She felt heartbroken to see anyone killed or endure disease and starvation. She was thankful she had not grown inured to the grief. But how much hurt could one person endure? It was not a question she ever wanted to answer. The Clan Corvo remained on it's path of hope and peace because she was there to guide it. That truth also put tremendous pressure on her to continue. Many of the issues and problems facing the world were due to changes in leadership and goals, or to put it simply, greed. There was not a single instance of a group of people surviving more than 3 generations of leadership changes. Most didn't last 2 generations. To maintain peace required the maintenance of unity of goals and morality. That meant she was stuck leading, a job she never wanted, didn't really want, but one she could not avoid or abandon.

Fiach was even more unsettled as she realized once Operation Harmony began, she couldn't stop. It wasn't because she was power hungry, far from it, but she needed to provide peace and prosperity for her people. So unless she brought the rest of the world under the protective awning of the Clan Corvo, there would always be someone who wanted what they had. The best way to do so was to give them what they wanted, but not the way the wanted to get it. That meant assimilating them. Since the Clan Corvo had developed gunpowder and cannons she knew it wouldn't be long before others started to copy the technology. As long as the Raven Raiders were the only ones with the technology, they could easily defeat their opposition. For now she was content to hold the Clan Corvo borders in strength while they assimilated those who fled to Barmaz. Once Operation Harmony began, by the time the youth born during assimilation reached maturity, those who might want to rebel would be at best in their mid 40s, too old to fight other than defensively. Once more she had to be patient and prepare.

One thing Fiach found hopeful was that the common people, the lower and middle classes, those who did the physical work of all societies, made up 95% of every population. The farmers, herders, pottery makers, weavers, black smiths, miners, shipwrights, carpenters, masons and all who work with their hands, didn't really care who led their society as long as they could earn a safe comfortable living, support their family, and saw the same was possible for their children and grandchildren. Operation Harmony was planned with these people as the focus for assimilation.

A great deal of the guilt Fiach felt about instituting Operation Harmony was alleviated by the 95% of the conquered people whose lives would improve due to being assimilated into the Clan Corvo. Fiach was only too right in considering the remaining 5% of the conquered population to be haughty, self absorbed, societal leeches whose lifestyle was supported upon the backs of the common people. Their contribution to society was taking what they could and using, often abusing, the common people. Once the Clan Corvo destroyed the elite parasitic upper class, the heavy burden was lifted from the common people. The construction of roads and bridges, the establishment of schools so all could read, write, do simple math, and learn about the past would boost the ease of assimilation. It wouldn't take the common people long to see that life under the Clan Corvo was much better and provided stability they had never experienced. Most importantly, they would be treated with respect. Knowing that 95% of the assimilated people would quickly grow to like their new lives did a lot to alleviate the guilt she felt for instituting Operation Harmony.

One of the most important things needed was to instill respect for Clan Corvo rules and mores in the people being assimilated. Those Clan Corvo members who would be conducting the assimilation had to be thoroughly trained, compassionate and insightful. The Clan Corvo soldiers and the civilians following the warriors would be held to high standards. There would be no pillaging, no rape, no murder, no bribery. Breaking the standards would be considered high treason, a betrayal of the Clan Corvo itself. The punishments would be harsh. Those convicted of high treason would have their ears, nose, tongue, 1 hand and genitals removed. They would then be locked inside a cage 6 feet high by 3 feet wide by 3 feet long with iron bars so they could be seen. Their name and crime would be printed on the cage. Mounted on flat bed wagons, the ‘exhibit' would be hauled from town to town so the locals could see the Clan Corvo was serious about maintaining it's standards. Fiach certainly hoped she'd never have to enforce that punishment.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 63: 415-430 CE: Chaos Games

The Operation Harmony preparations included the Corvo Christian Church and Corvo University preparing thousands of priests, scholars and educators. They would be the primary contact people for newly acquired populations. Utilizing the Corvoian alphabet, based upon the Greek and Latin alphabets, they would record the local language while establishing a lexicon. From this they could teach the locals to read and write. They would record their legends, faith, beliefs and deities. Clan Corvo Christianity would be presented as the standard faith of the Clan Corvo. The members of the Clan Corvo would provide living examples of the morality and honesty that hopefully would encourage the conquered to adapt Corvo Christianity. The priests of the conquered would be sent to Corvus University to educate them on Corvo Christianity and it’s antecedent, Judaism plus any other faiths as the info came into Corvo Christianity. The recorded info would be sent back to Corvus University where the historians and theologians would eke out their wisdom and theology. One thing that would not be done is to force those conquered to accept Corvo Christianity. The conquered would be allowed to continue practicing their faith with the exception of human sacrifice.

Corvus University also prepared Clan Corvo administrators and teachers to establish civil administration and teach the laws and codes of conduct of the Clan Corvo. Thousands of engineers, master masons and master carpenters were to be readied as well as civilians to assist in all areas. They would evaluate and record local building practices, farming techniques and medicine and blend them into Clan Corvo techniques while re-educate the locals as well as learning from them. They would also share the local knowledge with the wider Clan. One of the most critical areas would be people trained for population transplantations to escort and resettle those to be moved, usually the elite 5%, to be known as the Corvo Assimilators. All these people would follow behind the Raven Raider armies to begin the assimilation of the conquered peoples.

When the fighting was over and peace enforced by the Clan Corvo, all conquered peoples would initially be required to disarm. However, as new members of the Clan Corvo, they were automatically drafted into the Clan Corvo Militia. Everyone age 13 and older, both male and female, would attend a 2 month boot camp followed by 2 days per month continuing training. The training schedule would be alternating so businesses, farms & families were not unattended. The militia trained in hand to hand, archery, sling, sword, spear, and javelin use. Once trained they could keep approved weapons. Failure to participate in the militia would be punished by enslavement. The militia training would force the new peoples to interact with the Clan Corvo, learning the basic language and morality of the Clan Corvo as well as getting them accustomed to working as a team and taking orders. The Clan Corvo would be the only source providing a sense of stability, belonging and help. The lack of oppressive wealthy landowners, selfish nobility and arrogant religious leaders would free people to benefit from their own work. The Clan Corvo Militia cemented that comradery. The vast majority of displaced, disconnected and conquered peoples would easily slip into the Clan Corvo.

The Raven Raiders trained the militia. The youth who excelled in the training would be offered the chance to train as Raven Raiders. The Raven Raiders would teach the recruits further discipline instilling an unshakeable esprit de corps while assimilating them into the Clan Corvo. The since the period of assimilation would be 25-35 years, these recruits of the Raven Raiders would grow into adulthood under the Clan Corvo. No one who was older than 10 at that time of conquest could join the Raven Raiders. In addition, no more than 2 people from an assimilated tribe, clan or group could serve in the same squad. Those of the newly incorporated peoples who spoke the languages of their unassimilated neighbors were used to teach the Raven Raiders the languages of those they were about to encounter so generous offers of surrender could be made and the futility of resistence explained.

While primary families would be allowed to stay together, none of the societal elite would be allowed to remain where they lived. The elite would be relocated but not relocated together, thus breaking up and disrupting national, regional, clan and tribal loyalties and dependancy. The often haughty wealthy and upper classes would be stripped of their wealth and possessions, relocated and placed into unskilled manual labor. Once their arrogant spirits were broken, they would be allowed to move into skilled labor positions.

Fiach also realized the minimal and mostly informal government that currently that kept the Clan Corvo running smoothly could not accommodate the massive expansion. Thus she put a great deal of time an effort into devising a plan for governing the Clan Corvo. The planned Government would consist of 6 levels; with local, county, state, region, continental and world. She was adamant that the SOLE purpose of government was for the benefit of all the people. Those who oversaw government would do so to serve the needs of the people. Government was NEVER to be for the benefit of those running the government. Just as in Corvo Christianity, laws would be enforced according to the spirit of the law, not the letter. All laws were to be simple and easily understood with no double talk and hidden meanings.

The wages paid to government workers and executives would be more than adequate to support themselves and their families. In addition, anyone in the government who used the government for their own benefit would be committing treason. Accepting ‘gifts' of any kind or asking for a bribe was treason. Offering a bribe or ‘gift' was treason. Punishment for treason was harsh and swift: confiscation of all property and enslavement for a minimum of 5 years.

Government was to be minimal consisting of legislative, judicial and executive branches. All those who served in the government did so in triumvirates. Terms were for 3 years with a limit of 2 terms. In each triumvirate, 1 person completed their term each year. This insured a steady turnover while preventing the development of a good old boy hierarchy hopefully avoiding the need to drain the swamp of entrenched bureaucracy. This also insured the triumvirates remained in touch with the common people while preventing governmental workers from establishing an elitist mindset.

This raised another issue. So far most of the Clan Corvo worked on a barter system. Roman coins were used when a currency was needed. The barter system could continue for local needs, but a system of currency would be needed to pay workers and government employees as well as allow commerce to flourish. To avoid inflation and deflation, wages and market prices would be tightly controlled, designed to give everyone wages and buying power of the middle class. Everyone would have the chance and ability to make a middle class living.

The triple demons of humanity would have to be addressed: gambling, alcohol and mind/mood altering drugs. They were part of human nature and could never be excised. That meant there would be some people who would cross the line of acceptable behavior. Those who crossed the line would not necessarily be bad people, they an illness and needed help. It would be important not to condemn such actions but to treat them like any other illness. The worst thing to do would be to treat the person like a societal leper. The Corvo Christian priests, physicians, and nurses would all receive training in dealing with these illnesses. To do this, as part of their education and reeducation, all priests would receive advanced medical training. All physicians and nurses would receive theological training. The 3 occupations were entwined siblings since faith and health issues were intertwined.

Corvo Christianity would handle social welfare, taking care of those who, for whatever reason, could not take care of themselves, either temporarily or life long. The crippled, the elderly, the intellectually challenged, the ill, the injured, all would be assured of a comfortable living situation. This would eliminate the poor and societal outcasts.

Another consideration was that Corvoian would become the language of the world since all trade, business, education, religion and government would be conducted in Corvoian. Corvus Scriptorium would only publish new works in Corvoian. The myriad other languages that had developed throughout human history would be rendered obsolete and archaic by Operation Harmony. Yet while those languages were fading into history, they would also be preserved via thorough certification. Each of the numerous native languages would be meticulously documented along with their legends, history and faiths. Then those legends and histories would be translated into Corvoian. For each language a thorough dictionary would be created with a corresponding thesaurus and a pronunciation guide. Of course that meant the construction of a comprehensive universal pronunciation guide for consonants, vowels, dipthongs and other sounds.

After each 2-3 year warfare stage of the Operation Harmony process was completed, the assimilation stage would last 25-35 years; the Raven Raiders who had fought would age out of the active fighting force. While aging out they would transition from super efficient warriors to super efficient engineers and other skilled workers while still providing security. They would retain their military prowess and discipline acting as a Clan Corvo wide police force as well as emergency response teams during natural disasters. As engineers they would take over infrastructure building and maintenance as well as sanitationsuch as the Rat Patrol. Paved roads would be built connecting all regions. Stone arch bridges would be built across rivers and streams. Canals, locks, aqueducts and sewers would be built along with wetlands to naturally process sewerage. They would also establish environmental protocols to insure that pollution was minimized and controlled. Trees and grasses would planted to control erosion. Forests, open areas and wetlands would be preserved.

In the Clan Corvo, Fiach had already established that starting at age 5, youth were required to attend local primary schools up to age 14 where they learned to read, write, do basic math and learn the history of the Clan Corvo and by extension the world. In addition they learned life skills like how to cook, clean, sew, basic first aid, basic agriculture, basic animal husbandry, and basic morality. At 14 they could join the work force as unskilled laborers, as an apprentice in assorted disciplines or continue their educations by attending county wide boarding secondary schools for 2 years. Completing secondary school at 16, the students could join the Raven Raiders, apprentice in technical disciplines, or continue education at a state level campus of Corvo University for 2 years. The courses at each campus would be coordinated to make sure they were covering the same material. Each state university also did research and had laboratories to conduct experiments. With the expected territorial expansion, the established educational template would grow with it. Corvo University would shift focus to become the focal point for faith, medicine, government, history and literature. The Corvus Scriptorium library would shift to be a part of the Corvo University becoming the center for historical studies and preservation of the past. A multiple building museum complex {similar to the Smithsonian Institution} would collect art, music, culture, natural history, geological formations, science, and history.

Corvo University would establish at least 1 campus on each of the six inhabited continents. Sanitation and environmental responsibility were mainstays of all development. The metallurgists at Corvo University and the scientists had the full support of the Clan Corvo as they researched ideas and technologies. One of the cardinal aspects of the university was to avoid practices that fostered dogma. They wanted to insure ALL ideas were investigated. Religion was not allowed to limit ideas. All ideas were welcomed and research encouraged. Ideas were pitched in brainstorming sessions and discussed openly. The research engineers and scientists were continually developing new technologies. This resulted in the rapid advancement of science and technology.

Steam power was developed. In the first century BCE the writings of Vitruvius mentioned aeolipiles. "Æolipylæ are hollow brazen vessels, which have an opening or mouth of small size, by means of which they can be filled with water. Prior to the water being heated over the fire, but little wind is emitted. As soon, however, as the water begins to boil, a violent wind issues forth." In the first century CE Heron gave instructions how to make a primitive steam-engine. From those primitive ‘toys’ steam engines were built that operated pumps to take the water out of mines or to fill canal locks from a lower source. Steam engines also operated windlass lifts to raise and lower platforms in mine shafts. During the next 50 years, these primitive steam engines would matured into steam locomotives and steam engine powered ships. Iron mining increased thanks to the use of explosives. Simultaneously the iron industry would be able to produce steel and iron rails upon which the locomotives could run. Rail lines would be laid across Europe with plans to expand into Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. With steam power, ships would travel 400 miles in 24 hours.

Smokeless gunpowder, cordite would be developed which allowed the use of smaller bore bullets and brass cartridges with built in primer charges. Nitroglycerin would also be developed. The safety and speed mining and tunneling would be greatly increased allowing deeper mining. The refining of metals was improved as well as new alloys were developed.

One of the most significant developments was 3 separate advancements that came together. Papyrus, vellum and parchment had been the main mediums for writing. Both were labor intensive to produce and expensive. An accidental discovery was made at a sailmaker in the main Clan Corvo port of Zarbam. The shredded virtually powdered remnants from cutting and trimming canvas had been dumped into an empty bucket. The bucket had been partially filled by rain creating a soggy mess. The soggy mass was knocked over spilling over a discarded piece of canvas and left until the next day. Most of the water seeped away and the remaining moisture evaporated leaving an irregular sheet of paper. Once discovered, it took a lot of experimentation to create paper. In addition to cloth remnants, saw dust and other finely shredded cellulose organic materials were used to create uniform sheets of paper. The invention of moveable type and the printing press emerged from the humble beginning of wood block printing, where pictures and sometimes even words were carved into a block of wood which was inked and pressed against paper or even walls. The development totally changed the world of scribes. Corvus Scriptorium began printing books.

Another development was flat glass produced by the float glass process. Molten glass was poured onto one end of a molten tin bath. The glass floats on the tin and levels out as it spreads along the surface, giving a smooth face to both sides. The glass cools and slowly solidifies as it travels over the molten tin and leaves the tin bath in a continuous ribbon which is then cut.

Machinery would be developed ushering in the age of machinists who could drill, tap, bore, lathe, and machine various metals. The metallurgists working with gunsmiths and machinists made tremendous advancements. Breach loading cannons and rifles were developed. Mass manufacturing would be developed allowing the fabrication of interchangeable parts and assembly line production. Even electricity, a phenomena described by the Greeks, would be explored and harnessed.

Fiach would appoint top Raven Raider officers to be the initial triumvirates of leadership of the assimilating populations. The officers, usually 1 female and 2 males, would seek a local spouse to give them a foundation in the local populace. Promising intelligent teens would be sent to Barmaz and Corvo University. Race, gender, gender identity and ethnicity were not factors in the selections. There they would be educated in history, sociology, economics, engineering, agriculture, science, sailing and train as Raven Raiders. Humility and respect for others would be inculcated in them. Between the ages of 14 and 16, the cream of the crop were to be gathered for a Grand Tour of the Clan Corvo led by Fiach. They would travel the world, visiting the schools, governments, ports, cities and other significant sites. The Grand Tour would consist of 100 Corvo University students who distinguished themselves in leadership, ingenuity, morality, and humility. The students would get to see the global extent of the Clan Corvo as well as seeing Fiach in action as a judge, mediator and the ultimate leader. With her ability to sense human emotions and derive an inkling of a person's thoughts, Fiach easily sorted out those students who met her strict standards. Those abilities also enabled her to sense those in positions of leadership and responsibility who were corrupt or self centered rather than public centered. Her Grand Tours would teach the prospective leaders and simultaneously monitor the current leaders. The youths would be slotted into leadership positions of the various Clan Corvo regions. This would provide changing local and regional leadership who were invested and trained in the Clan Corvo ethos.

Fiach knew she would need to continually travel throughout the Clan Corvo world to prove to each succeeding generation that the Demon Slayer was real and unchanging. Fiach been raised to respect the wisdom of her elders. For most people around age 55, if they were not beaten down by life and could still laugh and love, they naturally achieved elder status. Fiach was certainly well past the age and experience to be considered an elder. In her wisdom she understood she still needed to listen to other elders. Yet in the end the critical decisions concerning the Clan Corvo were hers alone.

For the years 415-418 the Colonists were split, Iceland and the Faroes continued to receive 1000 colonists a year. In the American colonies, Cheticamp on Cape Breton Island received 1000 colonists. The 4 bases on the Gulf of Mexico each received 2000. The 19 bases established for colonization each received 1000. Nantucket, Hatteras, Panama and the Bahamas each received 10,000. Cancun received 20,339. By 418 the Cheticamp Colony of 40,424 spread throughout Cape Breton Island and south into Nova Scotia. The Nantucket Colony of 85,880 included Martha’s Vinyard, Cape Cod and New Bedford to Plymouth in Massachusetts. The Hatteras Colony of 63,784 included the area between the Chowan River in the north and the Pamlico River in the south. The Panama Colony of 166,813 expanded along the Gulf of Panama. The Cancun colony of 1,895,546 had assimilated the entire Mayan culture and spread into the foothills of the Sierra Madre Oriental mountains occupying the Mexican states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Campeche, Yucatan and Quintana Roo as well as the eastern portion of Oaxaca, the southern portion of Veracruz and all of Guatemala and Belize. On the Pacific they established a town and Pacific Ocean port at San Marino {GM 13.924560, -90.784732} in Guatemala. A base port was established at Puerto Carillo {GM 9.863281, -85.482567}, Costa Rica, 458 miles to the south, halfway to the port of Panama City, 553 miles to the south. In the process they incorporated 90,000 natives a year into the colony. The Bahama Colony of 281,565 spread through and occupied the main islands of Cuba, Hispaniola, Jamaica, and Puerto Rico incorporating their native populations into the colony at the rate of 15,000 per year.

In 417, at the urging of Honorius, widowed Galla Placidia remarried. Her new husband was the implacable enemy of the Goths, Constantius. Northeastern Gaul became subject to even greater Frankish influence, while a treaty signed in 418 granted to the Visigoths southwestern Gaul. Honorius issued the Edict of 418, which was designed to enable the Empire to retain a hold on the lands surrendered to the Goths. This edict relaxed the administrative bonds that connected the western Seven Provinces of southern Gaul with the central government removing the imperial governors and allowing them to be a dependent federation to conduct their own internal affairs by representatives of the towns meeting in Arles.

The Germanic tribes that crossed the Pyrenees into the Iberian peninsula in 409 negotiated federation status with the remaining crumbling Roman authorities. The Hasdingi and Suebi received land in the northwest and the Silingi south while the Alans got lands in the west. The Visigoths, who invaded Iberia before receiving lands in southern Gaul crushed the combined forces of the Alans and Silingi in 418. Nearly wiped out, the remaining Alans and Silingi appealed to the Vandal king Gunderic to accept the Alan crown as well as the Silingi crown. In 419 AD the Hasdingi Vandals were defeated by a joint Roman-Suebi coalition. Gunderic fled to the south taking control of the former Roman Province of Baetica. In 422 Gunderic decisively defeated a Roman-Suebi-Visigothic coalition led by the Romans at the Battle of Tarraco. Many surviving Roman and Gothic troops deserted to Gunderic following the battle. For the next five years Gunderic created widespread havoc in the western Mediterranean while wisely not messing with the Clan Corvo.

In 421, Honorius promoted his general as co-emperor, Constantius III. Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, Theodosius, refused to recognize him. Constantius III, enraged, began preparations for a military conflict with the eastern empire but died early in 422. By the time of Honorius’s death in 423, Britain, Spain and large parts of Gaul had effectively passed into barbarian control.

An usurper was raised up as new Emperor of the West but never really had support. He dispatched a general, Flavius Aetius, to hire an army of Huns to come to his aid. Before they could do so troops from the east marched against him and his troops rebelled and turned him over. Valentinian III was elevated to Ceasar in 423 and Emperor of the West in 425 at age six. His mother, Galla Placidia, served as his regent (serving as such until 437) with Theodosius II full support. Felix was appointed as military commander.

The Huns were increasing their pressure on the Eastern Romans. Theodosius II strengthened the fortifications in the Balkans and in 424 agreed to pay 350 pounds of gold a year to encourage the Huns to remain at peace with the Romans. In 425, Theodosius founded the University of Constantinople.

In 425, the court at Ravenna negotiated with the Huns who had accompanied Flavius Aëtius to Italy in support of the deposed usurper. They agreed to leave Italy and to evacuate the province of Pannonia which was returned to the empire. This allowed Felix and the imperial government to restructure the defenses along the Danubian provinces in 427 and 428. In addition, there were significant victories over the Visigoths in Gaul in 426/7 and 430 and the Franks along the Rhine in 428 and 432.

Nevertheless, there were significant problems that threatened the viability of the Roman state in the west. The Visigoths were a constant presence in south-eastern Gaul and could not be dislodged. The Vandals in Iberia continued their incursions. In late 427, Gunderic, an ardent Arian Christian, determined to replace the Catholic Churchs in Iberia with Arian Churches. This proved difficult and he mysteriously died in early 428. Succeeded by his halfbrother, Genseric, in 429, they commenced their invasion of Mauretania {PD Morocco & Algeria} in North Africa. The native Berbers took advantage of the situation to enlarge the area they controlled. The vandals controlled the coasts while the Berbers took the interior areas. The vast territorial losses severely cut into the flow of imperial taxes which seriously impacted Rome’s ability to function and control the Western Roman Empire. As a result the tax burden on the remaining areas increased to intolerable levels as Rome's power decreased. Impaired in consequence the loyalty of its remaining provinces was seriously.

Aggravating this the initial period of Valentinian’s reign was dominated by the struggle between the leaders of the three principal army groups of the west; Flavius Felix, the senior military commander, Bonifacius, the military commander of Africa and Flavius Aëtius, the military commander of Gallia. In 427, Felix accused Bonifacius of being a traitor and demanded that he return to Italy. Bonifacius refused and defeated an army sent by Felix to capture him. Weakened, Felix was unable to resist Aëtius who, with the support of the Regent, replaced him as senior military commander in 429, before having him killed in 430.

Time on My Hands

Chapter 64: 430-432 CE: Patrick and the Invasion of Ireland

The Clan Corvo did their best to stay out of the turmoil surging through the Roman Empire. Barmaz continued accepting refugees. The immediate family of a refugee were kept together and expected to adapt to Clan Corvo mores. Those who did not were counseled with expectations explained. If they still refused to be assimilated they were given a choice, expelled back across the border or to the far colonies. The Clan Corvo believed if the situation where you lived was so bad you fled, it was common sense you would not be allowed to recreate what you fled in Barmaz.

Bonifacius, in the meantime, had been unable to defeat the Roman troops the Regent sent to deal with his rebellion. Bonifacius entered into an agreement with the Vandals to come to his aid dividing the African provinces between them. Concerned by this turn of events and determined to hold onto the African provinces at all cost, the court at Ravenna sought reconciliation with Bonifacius, who agreed in 430 to affirm his allegiance to Valentinian III and stop the new Vandal king Gaiseric.

Britannia was no longer controlled by Rome although trade continued. Britannia had devolved into local mini kingdoms each based in hill forts that controlled the area immediately around them. Saxons and Angles expanded their footholds on the east and southern coasts. Raids from Caledonia and Ireland continued with increased vigor.

The Clan Corvo base at Gibraltar was in the thick of the Iberian mess. Gibraltar was in the southern tip of Baetica, which was under Vandal control. During the 56 years since the base was established, a stone defensive wall had been built {along present day ring roads of the town of La Linea de La Conception, west to east being the Calle Torres Quevedo, Avenida de la Colonia and Calle Cartagena}. The defense wall as well as the walls along the shoreline were built on the same scale as those of Barmaz. The militia trained population of 10,000 with a division of Raven Raiders proved quite daunting to the vandals. More importantly, the strict neutrality maintained by the Clan Corvo kept them safe. The same was true for the Island of Ibiza.

In the Americas between 419-424, the Faroes, Iceland, Cheticamp and the 19 South American bases each received 1000 colonists. The 4 Gulf of Mexico bases each received 2000. Nantucket, Hatteras, Bahamas and Cancun each received 10,000. Panama received 20788. As Cancun continued to spread south, Panama spread north, both absorbing the native populations until the 2 colonies merged into the colony of Mesoamerica in 423. Cancun also absorbed the rest of the Mexican state of Oaxaca.

By 430, Patrick felt a calling to priesthood, heading from Britannia to the continent to study at Auxerre. What he felt about his calling to share the Salvation of Christ did not mesh with the politics of the Catholic Church. He'd heard the monks and priests talking about the blasphemy in Barmaz with their refusal to acknowledge the Pope as the earthly head of the entire Christian Church. The only saving grace about the Corvoian Blasphemy was they didn't send people out to proselytize. As he completed his studies in 431 he decided to travel to Barmaz to investigate their Christian practices. There he discovered the vast Clan Corvo Library and met Raben/Fiach.

Patrick had heard the legends about a Demon Slayer who could change gender that had accompanied Emperor Severus during his Caledonian Expedition 223 years before. Raben read Patrick’s aura, sensing his piety and dedication to Jesus as well as his unease and discomfort with the increasingly despotic and self-centered practices as well as the self aggrandizement of the hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church. Patrick was quite impressed with the people based humility of the Corvo Church, feeling it was a truer reflection of the gospel message of unconditional love for one’s fellow man.

“I sense you and the previous Demon Slayers are the key to keeping the Corvoian Christian Church centered on Christ’s message for humanity,” Patrick said. “You keep the Clan Corvo centered and actually do your best to live Christ’s message. I’ve learned a Demon Slayer was the first Bishop of Barmaz and that you are the Pope of the Corvian Christian Church and the Corvoian Bishops report to you, not the Pope in Rome. You are most definitely sure of yourself and confident in your actions. The entire Clan Corvo looks to you for guidance and respects your decisions. Yet you remain humble. You live without the pomp and vanity of the Roman Catholic Church. You are the political and religious center of more than 12 million people who hold you in awe and reverence. The Bishop of Rome calls himself Pope, papa. But you behave like a loving father tending and guiding his children. What I don’t understand is how that is possible for generation after generation of Demon Slayers to stay the right course.”

“That’s easy,” Raben smiled. “I am the Demon Slayer... there has only ever been one Demon Slayer. I was born in 161, I became the Demon Slayer in 175 when I was 14. I have not changed since that day. I can not be killed or poisoned.” Raben then explained his dual sexuality, his acquisition of the Curse, his eternal pre-puberty, his intimate relationship with the goddess Ianuaria and that he had been raised as a pagan German healer since birth. He explained that the Bible did not deny the existence of other gods, only that the triune God was the Supreme God who ruled over all others and that the goddess Ianuaria was akin to an Angel of God. Then he added he was a triplet, part of a triune birth, the last, smallest and weakest who was taken in by the Clan healer when it was clear his mother and village could not see to his needs. He grew up helping others, knowing he was the one abandoned. That drove him to succeed and be the best. “I watched my family age and die. The majority of the members of the Clan Corvo can trace their ancestry back to my mother. Through intermarriage the offspring of those not direct descendants will become descendants. It is due to my longevity, so far 266 years, that I keep the Clan Corvo on the path of righteousness.”

Raben's honesty and sincerity impressed Patrick. “So the man you killed and burned to ashes passed the curse of being the Demon Slayer on to you,” Patrick wanted to be sure he understood. “He was the initial curse holder having received it when he pierced Christ’s side during the Crucifixion.”

“That’s correct,” Raben nodded. “Since he was a soldier, he had no idea what to do with the Curse, so tried to continue his life as he had been doing. However, like me, he never aged and quickly recovered from any wounds. He was accused of witchcraft and had to keep moving, never settling down. He grew weary and tired of living. He willingly passed the Curse to me, not that at age 14 I understood what having the Curse meant. But with my background as a healer I have instinctively done my best to use the Curse for good. I’ve saved the lives of thousands of destitute people, been able to save historic writings and keep the Clan Corvo on a steady course of being good people.”

Patrick revealed his capture and enslavement at age 16. That at that age he’d been totally unprepared for life. But the hardships he’d endured shaped who he’d become, a man of God. Patrick then asked if he could be ordained to the priesthood in the Corvoian Christian Church. Raben agreed and the deed was soon done. Raben agreed to support Patrick’s desire to bring Christianity to Ireland.

Raben decided the time had come to formalize Corvoian Christianity as a separate faith by publicly breaking from the Catholic Church in Rome. The Council of Ephesus was called in 431 to shut down heresies. Raben called a meeting of Barmaz priests who agreed to formally appoint him the Pope of the Corvoian Christian Church. With three bishops and aids, they attended the Council Of Ephesus. Needless to say Raben was discounted because of his apparent age. Pope Celestine did not attend but sent delegates. The representatives of the Pope from Rome were indignant that Raben insisted Barmaz and the Clan Corvo, as a nation independent of the Roman Empire, was also independent from the Roman Catholic Church. The Corvoian Christian Church recognized Jesus Christ as their leader, without a mere human intermediary like the Roman Pope. What saved Raben was the that Barmaz Christianity was based upon and adhered the Nicene Creed just as Rome did so it wasn’t being heretical. They simply refused to accept an earthly leader. The fact Barmaz and the Clan Corvo declared their independence from Rome was supported by other regions that wanted their independence but were too weak to militarily defend themselves. Among the delegates Pope Celestine was Leo, a well respected 31 year old learned deacon, one of the many men Raben amazed with his vast scriptural knowledge. Celestine was furious at the declared independence of the Corvoian Christian Church but unable to take any action.

The years 425-431 had seen the colonization continue. The now 18 bases around South America,, Faroes, Iceland, and Cheticamp each received 1000 colonists. The 4 bases around the Gulf of Mexico received 2000 each. Nantucket, Hatteras and Bahamas each received 16,000. Mesoamerica received 15788 in 425, 15778 in 426, and 15880 in each year 427-431. They expanded north each year taking in 25,000 natives each year so that by 431 they occupied the Mexican states of Guerrero, Michoacan, Puebla, Morelos, Tlaxcala, Mexico, Hidalgo and the rest of Veracruz. The Bahamas Colony had spread to every island in the Carribean.

Raben was delighted with the Clan Corvo University. By 430 their careful experimentation with black powder resulted in useable weapons. They developed horse drawn wheeled cast bronze muzzle loading cannons with a bore of 4 2/3inches but 2 barrel lengths, 66 inches and 33 inches. The longer the barrel the further the range. The larger barrel weighed 1227 pounds requiring a 2 wheeled carriage to maneuver, a total weight of 2350 pounds. The shorter barrel weighed 220 pounds with a carriage and wheels that could be dismantled and mule packed to areas impossible for wheeled units. The weapons were developed in concert with the university metallurgists, mastering the casting process and figuring out how to bore the cast central cavity to a uniform size. They developed several shells, a solid shot of 12 pounds, a fused explosive shell, and an explosive cannister shell containing small round balls. The work continued trying to develop an iron cannon as well as smaller hand firearms.

The 2 wheeled gun carriage was hauled behind a 2 wheeled limber mounting an ammunition box carrying 40 rounds forming a highly maneuverable 4 wheeled wagon. A caisson was another 2 wheeled wagon that held 3 ammunition boxes that was towed by a limber. Each artillery unit consisted of 2 limbers, a caisson, the carriage mounted cannon, 8 soldiers and 12 horses/mules. Each 4 wheeled combo needed 6 horses to pull it in order to keep up with the mounted Raven Raiders. They were set up in troop sized batteries consisting of 6 - 66 inch cannons, 3 - 33 inch cannon, 4 additional ammunition wagons each carrying 6 ammunition boxes, and a wagon mounted forge for making in the field repairs. Each artillery piece was commanded by a corporal, 7 privates handled the horses and other tasks and 3 ravens. A section consisted of 3 artillery pieces commanded by a sergeant with a corporal and a raven. The battery was commanded by a lieutenant with a staff sergeant, a corporal, a private, 2 ravens and a wolf, a sergeant blacksmith and a private helper. As the units were equipped and trained they were attached to each division.

In 432 the colonial disbursement to the Americas changed. The 23 fleet bases, Faroes, Iceland and Cheticamp each received 1000 colonists. Nantucket, Hatteras and the Bahamas each received 9500. Mesoamerica received 9380 as they occupied the Mexican state of San Luis Patosi. The remaining 30,000 were dispatched to Ireland with Patrick consisting of 1 division of Pathfinders and 2 divisions of Raven Raiders and 9642 colonists. Fiach decided to accompany them with the intent of bringing the entire island into the Clan Corvo, using it as a trial for Operation Harmony. This would assist Patrick spread Corvoian Christianity and further secure Barmaz trade routes since the Irish were a primary source of raiders to Britain. Those raids threatened the sea lanes used by Corvus Shipping. The occupation of the Isle of Mann was certainly preventing excessive deprivations but securing Ireland would totally eliminate the issue.

While Christianity was not a mainstream faith on the Celtic Island, it was known. Christianity entered Ireland in the fourth century, in a slow and gradual process of unplanned infiltration from Gaul and Britain. Some were British captives carried off by Irish raiders, others were Irish raiders who settled in Britain, were converted and returned to Ireland to share their new faith with their family, still others came via trade relations with Gaul, Britain and Iberia. Some were monks seeking refuge in Ireland from the barbarian invasions of Gaul and Britain bringing their Christian religion with them. Irish Christians were sufficiently numerous by 431 to justify Pope Celestine's appointment of Palladius as Bishop of Ireland. Palladius landed at the village of Wicklow on the Varty River, which was also the port Patrick made his escape after his six years' captivity. The Celtic Druidic Priests were hostile towards the Christians. If the Christians were quiet their relationship was one of begrudging toleration. Palladius was not quiet. At the end of 431, at the urging of the Druids, the King of Leinster expelled Palladius to Scotland.

The fleet, supported by the Isle of Man Clan Corvo fleet, landed at Drumanagh {GM 53.540557, -6.080147}, a headland near the village of Loughshinny. The headland was a trapazoid, 1320 feet on the landward west side with a defensive dry moat with earthen wall built entirely across the headland. The water sides were 1300 feet along the north and south shores and 950 feet along the east shore. The headland was the site of an unofficial Roman trading base. The trading settlement offered no resistance to the unexpected arrival of the fleet and the subsequent occupation of the headland.

The locals were accustomed to dealing with outsiders. However, most trading was done by single ships or at most 2-3 vessels. The size of the Clan Corvo fleet and the fierce reputation of the Clan Corvo people occupying the Isle of Man intimidated them. The rapid unloading and deployment of the troops quickly discouraged their even attempting to organize resistence. In his homespun priest’s robes with the large cross hanging from his neck, Patrick was clearly there to convert the Celtic Irish to Christianity, an action most certainly not welcomed by the local druids.

The local noble tried to control his anger when he was summoned to Drumanagh. Word of the large fleet had reached him as had the reports of the thousands of mounted warriors. When he discovered the fleet and soldiers were from the Clan Corvo, he understood this could be the start of an invasion so when he was asked to come speak with the commanding Corvoian general he begrudgingly did so.

"We have brought thousands of Clan Corvo members," the Corvoian general stated. "Amongst them are over 13,000 Raven Raiders, our best warriors. We have come to bring Ireland into the Clan Corvo. Ireland WILL become part of the Clan Corvo. We hope you will voluntarily join us. Ireland must chose between joining us peacefully and willingly or fight us and join after we defeat you. If you force us to fight we will win and many of you may die."

The noble seethed at the general’s audacity but knew he didn’t dare attempt to prevail against the massive military might of the Clan Corvo.

"Send messengers throughout the island telling the kings what we want," the general declared as he set a date for the convocation. "We will grant 3 months to allow the kings to raise and lead their armies to fight us. However, instead of a full war, we’re willing to settle this by individual combat. The leader of the Clan Corvo will be the sole champion for the Clan Corvo. We know there are 19 kingdoms in Ireland. Each king can select 4 champions besides himself. The Clan Corvo champion will fight them 1 by 1 or even all at once until they’ve all been killed or submit. When the Clan Corvo champion wins, the kingdoms will submit. If our champion loses, the Clan Corvo will leave."

Gaelic Ireland placed a heavy importance on clan wars and ritual combat. A very important aspect of Celtic ritual warfare was single combat. To settle a dispute and measure one's prowess, it was customary to challenge an individual warrior from the opposing army to ritual single combat to the death while cheered on by the opposing forces. Clans were the basis of the competing Celtic Irish kingdoms. They had few professional warriors, their armies consisted of a core of warriors who served as body guards for the king, his family and his home/castle. Vassal nobles had similar warriors but smaller numbers. This meant the central trained core of an army was seldom more than 500. That meant the available trained Irish warriors numbered about 10,000. Untrained commoners made up the mass of the army, but they were barely more than skirmishers who could never stand up to trained professionals. The clearly declared intention of the Clan Corvo to take over Ireland coupled with the single combat challenge left the kings with no choice but to accept the challenge.

Fiach also decided to use psychological warfare. One of the most common causes of Irish conflict was Cattle raiding. Cattle were the main form of wealth in Gaelic Ireland as coins had not yet been introduced. The aim of most wars was the capture of the enemy's cattle. Indeed, cattle raiding had become a social institution. It was even customary for new kings to carry out raids on traditional rivals. In Irish folklore a warrior queen, Medb of Connacht, who’s father was the High King of Ireland, married her to the king of Ulster. She bore him a son but the marriage went bad and she left. The high king deposed the king of Connacht and installed Medb as queen. The deposed king regained a share of the throne when he and Medb became lovers. The king of Ulster raped Medb after an assembly at Tara and war ensued between the High King and Ulster. The deposed king, hoping to regain favor with the high king, challenged the Ulster king to single combat and lost. A rival for the kingship of the deposed king protected the Connacht army as it retreated and became Medb's next husband and king of Connacht. While married she took the chief of her bodyguard, as her lover. When the king discovered the affair he challenged the bodyguard to single combat and lost. The bodyguard then married Medb and became king of Connacht. Medb insisted that she be equal in wealth with her husband but he was one powerful stud bull richer than her. She discovered that the only rival to her husband’s bull was owned by a vassal of the king of Ulster. She sent messengers offering wealth, land and sexual favors in return for the bull. After initially agreeing the King of Ulster withdrew his consent, and Medb prepared for war, the legendary ‘Cattle Raid of Cooley'. An army was raised to steal Ulster's prize stud bull. During the campaign Medb secured the bull but after a final battle she was forced to retreat with her prize. Ironically the captured bull fought her husband’s bull killing him but days later died of his wounds.

In addition, Macha was the Celtic Goddess of war, death, life, cunning and sheer physical force; a protectoress in both battle and peace. She was known as ‘the Raven,’ depicted wearing a cloak of raven feathers, often appeared as a raven, was Queen of Phantoms, and the Mother of Life and Death.

Word of the Clan Corvo invasion quickly spread throughout Ireland as did the news the Clan Corvo was going to take the entire island. The various kings put aside their petty disagreements to face the very real threat to Irish existence. Over a period of several weeks the kings and their armies gathered. Upon their arrival they saw the huge encampment of the Clan Corvo. They saw the disciplined Raven Raiders. They saw the church that had been built and heard Patrick preach of Jesus in their tongue. Many of the local women liked what they heard and asked to be baptized. The women in turn brought their children and finally their husbands. They also saw a huge happy but belligerent bull in a fenced pasture with a dozen Irish cows that none dared approach. The bull was the largest anyone had ever seen. Fiach had brought the largest aurochs bull she could find to play to the Irish legends. Several daring but stupid men paid with their lives when they stepped into the field. They saw the nearly 500 ships anchored in the harbor and river. The invasion of Ireland by the Clan Corvo seemed to be true.

On the day set for the convocation everyone gathered around the pasture containing the aurochs bull.
The mounted Raven Raiders formed on the coastal side of the of the pasture and waited. The 19 Irish Kings, their champions, Druidic priests and the armies gathered on the opposite side of the pasture. The common people gathered between the opposing sides. When everyone had gathered Fiach boldly walked into the pasture. They were surprised to see a slight preteen child, not the fearsome warrior queen they had assumed. Much to the amazement of the Irish onlookers, the huge bull calmly walked up to her to be scratched. The Irish were stunned as she easily hopped upon his back and rode him about the pasture. As she came closer they could see Fiach wore a long skirt with a sword/scabbard strapped across her back with sheathed knives on the front strap. She also wore a cloak of raven feathers like the goddess Macha! They also noted she was mounted on the massive fierce bull who seemed to obey her unspoken commands. The huge bull stood 6 feet tall at the shoulder, weighed 2500 pounds, the horns were curved upwards and outwards at the base, then swung forwards and inwards, then inwards and upwards. Each horn was 31 inches in length and 8 inches in diameter at the base. The hide was coal black with a narrow white stripe down the spine. The appearance Fiach evoked riding the biggest bull anyone in Ireland had ever seen brought the legendary warrior Queen Mebd to mind, intimidating the Irish. The 13,752 mounted Raven Raider warriors arrayed behind Fiach, obviously awaiting her orders, also reinforced their associating Fiach with Macha and Queen Mebd. The fact the small female warrior was riding the imposing killer bull as if he was a horse boggled their minds. They didn't know the mental rapport Fiach had with animals allowed her to keep the wild beast calm and manageable. The fully adult young bull controlled his natural urges because he was already enjoying the reward Fiach promised for his cooperation, being THE stud of Ireland.

“I am Fiach Corvo, co-head of the Clan Corvo with my twin brother Raben,” Fiach announced from atop the intimidating aurochs. “We are Demon Slayers and heads of the Clan Corvo and the Corvoian Christian Church. We have appointed Patrick as Bishop of Ireland to bring you the Good News of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. I know how stubborn you Celts are. So you know who is facing you, I’m descended from Celts. My great grand mother and her twin were the head physicians with Emperor Severus when he attempted to conquer Caledonia 223 years ago. I’m sure even you on this island have heard of the female Demon Slayer the Caledonians feared.”

The Irish had indeed heard of legends told of the mysterious female Demon Slayer. She was used as a boogey-man type of monster to keep kids in line. Now, sat atop the biggest bull any had seen, sat her descendant who claimed to be the current Demon Slayer.

“We are gathered here to decide the future of Ireland and it’s people,” Fiach began. “The Clan Corvo has decided that your incessant raiding can no longer be ignored. We ask that you join us. We will honor and preserve your legends and lore as well as your people. The Clan Corvo adopts the best features of the cultures of those it absorbs. We Demon Slayer’s honor the Druidic pantheon since it is a subset of Christianity. We become part of you as you become part of us. We welcome new peoples. All we have, we offer to you in exchange for membership.”

“I’m aware the kings do not want to give up their kingdoms but the Clan Corvo has no kings,” Fiach continued. “We have no upper class, we have no low class. We have one class, everyone is equal. The vast majority of the Irish will benefit from joining the Clan Corvo. The kings will be equal with all others which means they must give up their privileges. No one need suffer. What most of you need to ask is if you are ready to sacrifice your lives to continue being subjugated by the kings?”

That most certainly began a murmuring amongst those who spent their lives living under the whims of the kings. The druids and kings were infuriated. One imposing man, the Irish High King, Fergus of Ulster, stepped before his fellow kings, glaring at Fiach. "We came to fight, not talk nonsense!"

"Very well," Fiach sighed as she slid off the bull. "Let me send Cuhullin to be with his harem."

The kings grew even angrier. Cuhullin was a legendary Irish warrior hero, akin to Hercules being a demigod, who singlehandedly delayed Queen Mebd during her famous cattle raid. To dare name a bull for the great man was a grave insult. Yet their anger was tempered by awe as they watched Fiach slip off the bull's back and ‘talk' to the fierce bull. They were even more amazed when the huge bull calmly walked through the pasture gate into an adjoining smaller pasture to his harem.

"We are gathered here to decide the fate of Ireland," Fiach announced. "However, instead of a full war with thousands of deaths, we're willing to settle this by individual combat. The leader of the Clan Corvo will be the sole champion for the Clan Corvo, thus I am the champion of the Clan Corvo. Just a warning, I am the Demon Slayer and have personally killed 957 men in combat."

That tidbit seemed implausible for the small young girl causing the Irish to snort with derision.

"We can see all 19 kings are here, each with 4 champions," Fiach smiled with clear anticipation of knocking the men down a few pegs. "As the Clan Corvo champion I will fight them 1 by 1 or even all at once until they've all been killed or submit. When I win, the Irish people will submit. If I lose, the Clan Corvo will leave."

"Enough talk," Fergus shouted. "We agree our champions and kings will fight you for Ireland’s fate!"

"Very well," Fiach said as she drew her sword from it's over the shoulder scabbard and removed her raven feathered cloak. "Who will be the first to die?"

The glint of anticipation in her eye and her calm demeanor further unnerved the kings and their champions. After a few moments of hesitation, a powerful man stepped forward with a large 2-handed sword. Fiach smiled eagerly as she calmly approached the man as he warily did likewise.

"There is no need for you to die today," Fiach smiled. "Lay down your sword and live."

The big man sneered and roared as he charged, raising his sword in one meaty hand to hack the impudent youngster in half.

Instead of trying to avoid his charge, Fiach met it head on with her own fierce nerve rattling undulating war cry. She ducked and slipped into his swing thus avoiding it. As the momentum of his swing exposed his side, with a sure upward thrust, Fiach pierced his right side just below his ribs. The big man gasped and staggered, as an expression of disbelief filled his face. As he collapsed to the grass, Fiach pivoted behind him pulling her sword from his body. As the man tumbled to the ground, a fountain of blood exploded from the wound. By the time he hit the ground he was dead. Fiach had pierced through his lung then his heart. The encounter had taken 3 seconds.

"Such a waste," Fiach said smiling at the stunned Irish. "Oh well, who else wants to die today?"

Needless to say everyone not of the Clan Corvo were shocked at the quick loss of their imposing champion as well as the ease with which Fiach dispatched him. Everyone hesitated to step forward.

"Well King Fergus, since you wanted to fight instead of talk, are you willing to put your sword where your mouth is?" Fiach challenged. "That is, of course, unless you are a total coward." Then she laughed derisively.

Nearly everyone gasped at the pointed insult. No one amongst the Irish would have dared say something like that. As she had intended, the loud mouth high King Fergus had no choice but to answer her insult. Hiding his mounting anxiety, he drew his sword and cautiously advanced. Fiach smiled and began to laugh as she skipped with childish glee as she frolicked about him, easily, almost carelessly, dancing away from his increasingly frustrated swings and thrusts. Each miss infuriated the insulted king. Suddenly Fiach stopped, turned her back to Fergus, bent over and tauntingly wriggled her butt. Infuriated, he pounced like a cat upon an unsuspecting mouse. Fiach sensed his attack and did a full extension back flip right over him as he struck at where she'd been. As she was upside down above him she swung her sword. By the time she landed the body of Fergus had collapsed where she'd been. With a look of horror frozen in place, his head rolled across the pasture.

The shocked Irish gasped. High King Fergus was a most capable fighter against whom few dared draw steel. It was at that point everyone realized Fiach was toying with the Irish champions.

"I warned you I am the Demon Slayer," Fiach roared as she thrust her sword skyward. "I lead the Clan Corvo. None can stand before me! Now, is this farce over or must I kill more of you?"

The crowds were silent in awe of just how easily she'd killed the king and the intimidating champion. The remaining kings and champions were gobsmacked and unsure. However they were all seasoned warriors and ignored fear. But they now faced the legendary Demon Slayer. They had no choice but to continue the fight. Each of the 18 kings and 75 champions had no choice but to face Fiach.

"I grow tired of your silly games," Fiach called out. "Let's up the game. I challenge all of you to simultaneous combat. All of you against me at the same time. Let's get it on!" With that she pulled one of her knives so her sword was in her right and a deadly knife in her left. "Unless you’re ready to swear fealty to me!"

The champions and kings exchanged looks of disbelief at her audacity. They kings knew they could not swear fealty nor could they avoid her challenge. They cautiously spread out surrounding Fiach as she continued to smile with a wild feral look in her eyes. The battle began. Fiach had no intentions of going against them toe to toe. That's not to say she avoided the fight. Indeed, she laughed maniacally as she charged into her enemies, primarily using her sword to parry blows while striking out like a bolt of lightening to deliver fatal knife wounds as she ducked and weaved through her increasingly desperate opponents. The clash of steel, the grunts of the mortally wounded and the laughter of Fiach as she danced amongst them could be heard by the onlookers; they lost sight of her slight body amongst the much larger men. As usual Fiach ignored her own wounds. As the battling men moved about the pasture they left a trail of 43 bodies. Finally, a blood covered Fiach danced out of the much reduced scrum. The kings had been slain leaving only 50 battered champions.

"The kings are dead," Fiach called out. "Your oaths to them are thus broken. Will you now give me your fealty?"

The battered champions gazed about the body littered field in disbelief seeing their fallen comrades. The small girl had slain 45 of the best fighters in Ireland. Any doubts they harbored about her being the Demon Slayer were indeed vanquished. The death in fair combat of the kings had released them from their vows of loyalty. One by one they went down on one knee to offer their swords to Fiach.

“I accept your fealty,” Fiach announced. “All who fell are to be buried with honor. The kingdoms and clans of Ireland are abolished as are all nobility. All of Ireland is hereby part of the Clan Corvo. I will send a company of Raven Raiders, a troop of Pathfinders and an equal number of civilians to begin the transition of leadership. The armies that came with the kings will act as an honor guard to return the bodies and accompany those of the Clan Corvo who arrived with me to their former kingdom where the army will tell what they’ve seen here.”

The gathered armies had been stunned by the small girl’s ferocity and skill as she had so easily killed the kings and champions. They were glad they had not had to fight, so readily agreed to her dictates.

“Tomorrow you will head home with those I brought to Ireland,” Fiach announced. “My people have prepared a feast to honor the dead and welcome everyone into the Clan Corvo. My people will prepare the bodies for transport home. Food and mead are available in the field with the tents... all but the Druids may go and... enjoy!”

“In addition to being the Demon Slayer I am also an Ianuarian,” Fiach addressed the gathered druids after the warriors and conscripts left. “I am a trained and experienced healer. I am a disciple of Ianuaria and have personally spoken with her. She has told me that she and the other Celtic gods are angels of the one supreme Christian God. I invite the druids to meet with Bishop Patrick and myself so we can explain how the Celtic pantheon is in reality a subset of Christianity. To further demonstrate my affinity with Ianuaria, I am a living version of Macha, the Celtic Goddess of war, life, death, cunning, death, sheer physical force; protectress in both battle and peace. The Clan Corvo is the Clan of the Ravens.” Then she krocked.

To the surprise of the druids thousands of ravens flew from the surrounding fields and trees to swarm above Fiach. After a bit of back and forth krocking most flew off to forage while a raven landed on each shoulder reinforcing her association with Macha who wore a cloak of raven feathers.

“I can speak to animals. You saw me ride Cuhullin, the bull. Let me call my other friends.” Fiach let out a horrific screech that was promptly answered from high above. As the druids watched in disbelief 18 majestic eagles rode the thermals lower circling about her. Holding out her arms one landed on each wrist to glare at the speechless druids as she spoke to the birds. “You may go now,” Fiach stated as the birds took off to join their winged comrades.

With that she let out a deep throated feline roar that was answered from the Raven Raider encampment. In moments 2 of the largest cats ever seen on Ireland sauntered up to Fiach. The orange with black striped cats could easily shred a man yet around Fiach they rubbed against her like house cats. “These are tigers, the largest and fiercest of all cats. I’ll call my canine friends.” With that she tilted her head back and howled. Again from the Raven Raider encampment came answering howls... dozens and dozens of howls. Everyone went on edge... they all knew about wolves... their blood went cold as the 162 wolves came loping from the Raven Raider encampment. The wolves gathered around Fiach and the tigers like adoring puppies.

The druids were stunned. Never had they seen anyone talk to animals before. Obviously the small Demon Slayer was not to be underestimated. Fiach led them to a large open sided tent with tables and seating where Bishop Patrick waited. The discussion was insightful and challenging as Fiach and Patrick were able to ease their concerns about abandoning the Celtic gods. In the end they still had doubts but were starting to see what Fiach and Patrick were saying that the Celtic Pantheon was valid but were demi-gods/angels, of the supreme triune Christian God.

Over the next months, Fiach toured Ireland, visiting every region and former kingdom, talking to the newest members of the Clan Corvo. Even though the kings had been killed, the Clan Corvo broke Irish tradition in not eliminating the family of the deposed king. The Clan Corvo civilians and Raven Raiders kept the peace and merged Brehon Law with the practices of the Clan Corvo. The Irish laws were a civil rather than a criminal code, concerned with the payment of compensation for harm done and the regulation of property, inheritance and contracts. Ireland was a hierarchical society, taking great care to define social status, and the rights and duties that went with it, everything from property to the relationships between lords and their clients and the proto-serfs. The often autocratic rule of deposed kings was forced into the egalitarian open rule of law while accepting that laws were not a strict unyielding black and white end, but a flexible colorful guide. The laws had to be alive and moveable, not restrictive walls. Government was people centric, by the people, for the people, and of the people. Government was to serve the needs of the people. The people were not to serve the government. In addition, while the Clan Corvo was most definitely Corvoian Christian and the associated morality was expected, there was no requirement that people believe.

Fiach and Patrick spoke to the priests and monks loyal to the Pope in Rome. Living amongst the Irish they understood the simple country lifestyle of the Island. The duo opened the eyes of the Roman Catholics to see how the power and exalted positions of the Pope and his hierarchy were well on their way to becoming like the Pharisees and Sadducees Jesus had preached as being hypocrites. Still, they were loath to break their oaths of loyalty to Rome they swore at their ordination.

“When you swore your oath, did you swear it to the triune God or to the Pope in Rome?” Fiach asked. “I was ordained and appointed the first Bishop of Barmaz by the Bishop of Rome, Caius, in the year 287. I swore my fealty to Christ, not man.”

“You were ordained by Caius in 287,” a priest scoffed. “First, women can’t be ordained, and most certainly not a mere foolish child. How dare you claim to have been ordained 245 years ago!”

“God blessed me both male and female,“ Fiach smiled. “I’m 271 years old. I was born in 161. At age 14 I received a Curse from Jesus.” Fiach explained how the centurion who pierced the side of Jesus after he died on the cross had been Cursed and how that Curse had been passed to Fiach.

The priest snorted and looked at Patrick with pity. “You believe this fairy tale?”

“Yes, I’ve seen this ‘mere foolish child’ do the impossible,” Patrick replied. “Did you not see how she defeated the Irish Kings and their champions? How she rode a bull? How she talks to the animals? She has collected ALL the writings of the Church fathers. I have seen her library, the largest in the world, eclipsing the fabled Library of Alexandria. I have seen Corvo University. She is the head of the Clan Corvo, she is the Demon Slayer.”

“Those are just stories to frighten the superstitious Irish,” the haughty priest replied.

“Like Jesus told Thomas, see and believe,” Fiach replied as she placed her hand on the table, then rammed a knife through her hand pinning it to the wooden top with a solid THUNK. Then she slipped her hand up the blade to the hilt so all could plainly see it had passed through her hand. “Pull out the knife.”

The protesting priest was clearly surprised. Slowly he reached out and pulled the blade out. The wound bled from the back and palm of her hand. She held it forth so he and the others could see the bleeding stop and the wound heal. “You are a Demon!”

“No, I’m the Demon Slayer,” Fiach answered. “I’ve watched the corruption creeping into Roman Catholicism. You know the Church in Rome and the Corvo Church are different. In the Clan Corvo the words spoken by Jesus are our guidance. In Rome the Pope is the guidance, a human who has the audacity to interpret what Jesus the Christ said. Much tension already exists between the Corvo Church and the Church of Rome. I am afraid it will eventually lead to war. It will be Rome that starts the war by demanding the Clan Corvo yield to Rome, but the Clan Corvo will finish it! The question you must answer is do the words of the Pope supercede the words of Jesus? Rome says it does, we in the Clan Corvo says it does not. Remember, Jesus condemned the Pharisees for following the words of the law instead of the intent of the laws, which is what the Popes do. Faith is God reaching down to man through the words of Jesus, his parables tell us how to live. The words of Jesus are flexible and living. Religion is man trying to climb up to God by making the words of Jesus into laws. Laws quickly become inflexible becoming burdensome and guilt inducing.”

The priests, far from Rome, had to depend on the words of Jesus. They’d been trying to follow the words of the Pope but the conditions in Ireland required flexibility, not rigidity, life not law, just as Fiach stated. Several priests asked Fiach to ordain them in Corvo Christianity. Fiach explained there was no need, they had been ordained in Christ. That day the Pope in Rome lost Ireland.

Many Irish moved to other Clan Corvo sites just as people from the other sites relocated to Ireland. Those from the Isle of Man were instrumental in the generation long assimilation. By respecting the Druids and blending Christianity to include the Celtic Mythos as angels, Patrick insured the Celts became Corvoian Christians while retaining and incorporating the Druidic respect of nature into Corvoian Christianity. The Clan Corvo would incorporate the 350,000 Irish with few further issues. The Clan Corvo Irish would form the core of the Clan Corvo when they moved into Britain.

Fiach insisted that sanitation and rodent control was a primary function of all settlements and farms. Until sanitation and rodent control was firmly established and practiced, further expansion was limited and had to incorporate acceptable sanitation practices. In addition, quarantine areas were established in every base, port and colony. Anyone who came down with a disease was quarantined until the illness passed. There were no exceptions, anyone who violated quarantine and sanitation rules and requirements were arrested and sentenced to 3 years slavery. These practices greatly reduced the widespread plagues that periodically swept the ancient world.

By 432, the Vandals had crossed from Iberia into Numidia at the request of General Bonifacius as mercenaries in support his rebellion to seize North Africa. The deal fell apart and the Vandals proceeded to drive Bonifacius and the Romans out of Numidia. The imperial court in Ravena, worried about the power being wielded by General Aëtius in Gaul, stripped Aëtius of his command and gave it to Bonifacius. In the civil war that followed, Bonifacius defeated Aëtius but died of his wounds. Aëtius fled to the Huns. With their help he was able to ‘persuade’ the Ravena court to reinstate him to his old position in 434. Because of troop losses, in 435 Emperor Valentinian was forced to make peace with the Vandals allowing them to keep Numidia in North Africa in return for payment of tribute to the empire.

The Huns were also granted new territory in Pannonia. In 433, with the rise of Attila unifying the Huns, the payment Theodosius II had to pay to protect the Eastern Roman Empire was doubled to 700 pounds of gold per year. Despite their new status as foederati, Burgundian raids into Roman Upper Gallia Belgica became intolerable and were ruthlessly brought to an end in 436 when General Aëtius called in Hun mercenaries, who overwhelmed the Rhineland kingdom in 437.

Galla Placidia's regency came to an end in 437 when Valentinian III traveled to Constantinople to marry the daughter of Theodosius. Although officially the emperor, the reality was that Aëtius was in charge of imperial policy in the west. From 436 to 439, Aëtius was focused on the situation in Gaul. Serious Visigothic defeats in 437-438 were undone by a Roman defeat in 439 restoring the status quo. Aëtius also enjoyed initial success against the Franks and the Burgundians, as well as putting down a revolt by the Bagaudae by 437. In 438, peace was also achieved with the Suebi in Spain. However, the Vandals broke their treaty and invaded neighboring areas of North Africa in 439. Knowing the importance of the grain from North Africa, both Eastern and Western Emperors sent forces to Sicily, intending to launch an attack on the Vandals at Carthage. However with the draw down of border troops along the Danube to man the expeditions, the Huns in the northeast and Sassanids in the southeast both attacked and the expeditionary forces had to be recalled. In 442, Aëtius and Valentinian were forced to acknowledge the Vandal conquests of Africa with the Vandals also taking Sicily, Sardinia and Corsica.

Spain continued to slip away from imperial control during the early to mid 440s as the Suebi extended their control. By 444, all but one Spanish provinces had been lost to the Germanic tribes but even that one was under pressure due to Bagaudic uprisings. As a consequence the Western Empire experienced severe financial problems leaving them unable to support their military needs. The emperor issued a law in 444, stripping the bureaucrats of their exemptions from the recruitment tax. Two additional taxes were issued, a sales tax of 4 percent and another on the senatorial class to raise new troops as well as feeding and clothing them.

During 443 two Roman armies in the Balkans were defeated and destroyed by the Huns. The Eastern Empire negotiated a peace agreement, the Huns withdrew in exchange for humiliating concessions, including an annual tribute of 2,100 pounds of gold. In 447 the Huns again went through the Balkans, destroying among others the city of Sofia and reaching Buyukcekmece on the outskirts of Constantinople. Theodosius died in 450 in a riding accident. His sister, Pulcheria, won the ensuing power struggle. She married general Marcian, thereby making him Emperor. Almost immediately Marcian reversed the policies of Theodosius, revoking all treaties with Attila, and proclaiming the end of subsidies. Attila, preparing to invade the Western Roman Empire, reacted angrily, demanding tribute, but did not alter his plans under the guise of helping Valentinian III against the Visigoths. He led his horde west from Pannonia in spring 451, into the Western Roman Empire. Aetius organized a defense, and called upon the Visigoths, Franks, Burgundians, Alans, Saxons and other tribal groups to aid him, numbering about 60,000. Attila's forces were augmented by Gepids, Alans, Sciri, Heruli, Rugians, some Franks, Burgundians, and Ostrogoths. Attila sacked Metz, and attempted a siege of Orleans, before meeting Aetius' forces at the Battle of the Catalaunian Plains, in Northeast Gaul. This battle involved around 100,000 men total, and involved massive losses on both sides. After the battle, Attila retreated to the Hungarian plain while Aetius dismissed his coalition of barbarians, sending them back to their own territory.

In spring 452, motivated by a desire for revenge along with a need to raid to keep his tribal state together, Attila again launched a raid, this time into the almost entirely undefended Italy. Attila captured the city of Aquileia after a long and difficult siege ransacking the city. Attila then raided across Northern Italy, taking Milan and other important cities. There was much fear that Attila would attack Rome itself, whose walls were weaker than some of the cities Attila had already captured.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 66: 452-456 CE: Operation Harmony Begins

In the spring of 452, Raben steeled himself as he headed north to Zarbam. He received a raven mail message from Ollie, who at 83, was dying. Ollie wanted to say goodbye to his mentor and for Raben to officiate at his funeral and burial. Raben knew he couldn’t refuse. He thought back to 415 and what he assumed would be a difficult conversation with Ollie. The planning for Operation Harmony had just begun. A crucial part of that planning was the ending of hereditary leaders for trained under 40 leaders with firm time limits to their positions. The hereditary leadership at Zarbam would need to end with Ollie’s time as head. When Raben arrived to have the difficult discussion with Ollie, he was surprised by Ollie.

“Raben, I think it will be in the interests of the Clan Corvo if I am the last Olvrison to be leader of Zarbam,” Ollie said. “In all the areas the Clan Corvo has assimilated, the local leadership was removed, their wealth confiscated, then they were relocated; if they resisted they were enslaved. My lineage is the only one you’ve left in place as leaders. We’re an exception that could negatively impact future expansion.”

“That’s because your lineage never set themselves above those they ruled,” Raben answered. “Your family always led from the front. They never asked their people to do anything they wouldn’t do. They were also honest and fair. You’re also right that you’ll be the last hereditary leader. I was concerned how you would handle that but you’ve shown my worries were for naught. I should have trusted your intelligence and integrity. I apologize for my misjudgement.”

“Thank you,” Ollie said. “But considering how the rest of the world is going I understand it’s easy to become a bit jaded.”

The reflection on the past encounter ended with the summery that the rest of Raben’s time in Zarbam had been pleasant and profitable. When Raben reached Olvishaugen, he found Ollie worn and wasted, barely hanging on. Raben’s heart broke to see the withered old man as compared ot his still clear memories of taking the inquisitive teen on his Grand Tour. After hugging Ollie, Raben ordered that Ollie’s bed be taken outside so he could see the sun set one last time.

Ollie’s large family silently gathered around the bed, most were wiping tears away. As the sun began slipping behind the mountains, Raben asked two of Ollie’s great grandsons to help him out of bed and support him so he could stand for one last time. Ollie’s rheumy eyes glistened in the last sunrays as they winked out behind the mountain and a smile filled his ravaged wrinkled face. The his head drooped to his chest. Raben couldn’t help but join those gathered as they openly wept.

The Zarbam leadership had changed to the new system of younger triple leadership 20 years previously but Ollie had stayed active as a guide and advisor. The funeral was a celebration of Ollie’s well lived live. Raben through the first handful of dirt on the grave. Even in his saddness, Raben couldn’t stay. The workings of the Clan Corvo called him back to Barmaz.

The Clan Corvo colonial disbursements continued at the 432 levels with the exception of Mesoamerica which increased slowly from 9380 to 9964 through 452. Gran Canaria and Tennerife reached their population caps between 453 to 455. The colonists levels for Mesoamerica raised to 9500 matching Hatteras, Nantucket and the Gulf of Mexico/Carribean Islands. The colonists going to Ireland increased from 30,000 in 452 to 42606 in 453 to 59566 in 454 and 65081 in 455 yielding in Ireland a population of 1,490,840 of whom 271,440 were Raven Raiders, 40 divisions.

During this time the base at New Orleans evolved into a colony of over 315,000. The local Native Americans were known as the Troyville-Coles Creek people. Settlements were up to several thousand people and usually located on terraces along major streams. They made their own pottery. They hunted with spears and atlatl since bow and arrows were still unknown in much of North America. The native population was low and the land bountiful. They lived on gathered wild plants and local domesticates, maize was of only minor importance since farming was just becoming mainstream. Acorns, persimmons, palmetto, maygrass, and squash were all more important crops. Tobacco was cultivated as well, and protein came from fish, deer and smaller mammals. The great difference in technology encouraged trading which quickly evolved into native dependency. Many young natives flocked to the Clan Corvo and what they saw was a better way of life. As usual the Clan welcomed new members. The natives were never strong enough to mount armed resistence nor did the newcomers force their colonization into areas where the natives lived and hunted. However those areas slowly became isolated with the wildlife being driven away. The Clan Corvo provided training and animals teaching them how to raise cattle, sheep and hogs. The Native Americans steadily and peacefully slid into the Clan Corvo.

The colonies were also spreading out from the 18 remaining bases around South America with each numbering about 63,000 Clan Corvo colonists. The local peoples were unable to resist the Corvo expansion and about 1000 a year joined the Clan. It was Hatteras and Nantucket where the colonists really thrived. The local Native Americans were far fewer and still living in a hunter/gathering society. Seeing the benefits of the Clan, about 2000 a year began joining the 2 colonies. Nantucket population soared to 836,000 while Hatteras reached 782,000.

Mesoamerica reached south into Colombia and north occupying the Mexican states of Jalisko, Guanajuato, Nayarit and Tamaulipas which brought in the base at Port Isobel, Texas yielding a population of 6,896,000 of whom 339,300 were Raven Raiders, making up 50 divisions.

The population of Senegal reached 16,288,000 of whom 746,460 were Raven Raiders making up 110 divisions. The population of Barmaz was 5,374,000 of whom 339,300 were Raven Raiders making up 50 divisions. In the north, Barzam had a population of 1,295,000 of whom 67,860 were Raven Raiders making up 10 divisions. Madeira with 240,000 people, the Canary Islands with 2,073,000 people, the Cape Verde Islands with 449,000 people and Azores with 257,000 people yielding a total Atlantic Island population 3,019,000 which fielded 20 divisions of Raven Raiders of 135,720.

During this period, Aetius was unable to launch an attack on Attila, able to only cut his lines of communication and harass his rear forces. Hoping to avoid the sack of Rome, Emperor Valentinian III sent three high civilian officers as well as Pope Leo I, who met Attila at Mincio. Atilla's superstitious fear of the fate of Alaric, who died shortly after sacking Rome in 410, gave him pause so he negotiated peace. More practically, Italy suffered from a terrible famine in 451 and her crops were faring little better in 452. Attila's invasion of the plains of Northern Italy certainly did not improve the harvest. To advance on Rome would have required supplies which were not available in Italy and taking the city would not have improved Attila's supply situation. Secondly, an East Roman force had crossed the Danube and defeated the Huns who had been left behind by Attila to safeguard their home. Attila faced heavy human and natural pressures to leave Italy before moving south of the Po towards Rome. Wisely he led his forces home.

The Clan Corvo did their best to avoid the steadily increasing chaos swirling around them. For the most part those fighting avoided the Clan Corvo controlled regions. Every base port was heavily armed and manned. The Vandals as well as the Navies of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires were becoming increasingly aggressive bordering on acts of piracy. Raben traveled to the Vandal Court to remind them the neutrality of the Clan Corvo did not mean they would not respond to attacks. He warned them any future attacks would cause a minimum ten-fold retaliation. The same message was personally delivered to the Western and Eastern Roman Emperors as well as the federated tribes settling inside the empires. The Corvus Shipping Fleet was heavily armed and sailed in mini-fleets of at least 15 ships. The heavily armed Raven Raiders accompanied Corvus Shipping land trade caravans outside the Clan Corvo lands, with their Eagles and Ravens flying overwatch and the tigers and wolves prowling the encampments by night. The few times assaults were attempted, they were met with utter destruction as the eagles, ravens, tigers and wolves hunted the offenders down. None dared dispute the animals tracked down the guilty. When someone was dumb enough to attempt an assault, Raven Raider reinforcements were promptly dispatched to enforce the judgement of the aggrieved Raven Raiders. Attackers not killed were enslaved. The Raven Raiders let it be known that the families of captured attackers could appeal for leniency and submit to the Raven Raiders. Any who did so were taken on as laborers earning a living while allowed to live with the slave until they’d served their time when the family would be accepted into the Clan Corvo. The families of the attackers killed were offered sanctuary in the clan on fair terms. The Clan Corvo believed anyone foolhardy enough to attempt to attack a Corvus Shipping Caravan protected by Raven Raiders were in desperate straights. Such continual shows of force kept the vast majority of conflict at bay.

Many people fleeing the chaos of the crumbling Roman Empire came to the gates of the Clan Corvo looking for sanctuary. The established policy was that sanctuary would be given to all who asked if they publicly foreswore all previous allegiance to their tribes and clans and swore allegiance to the Clan Corvo. They also had to give up all their wealth and belongings. If they were unwilling to meet those terms they were turned away. If they accepted, they were evaluated and resettled in areas that would benefit the Clan Corvo and the refugees.

Atilla died in 453. Several sons and other powerful leaders began jockeying for supremacy resulting in fighting as the Hun Confederacy disintegrated under various competing leaders. At the same time, with a large fleet, the Vandals began looting the Mediterranean coasts of the Eastern and Western Empires. With Attila's death the Romans turned their attention back to the Vandals, who were in control of some of the richest agricultural lands of their former empire. In an effort to bring the Vandals into the fold of the Empire, Valentinian III offered his daughter's hand in marriage to the Vandal king's son.

Before this treaty could be carried out, Petronius Maximus, a wealthy senator and a prominent aristocrat, was instrumental in the murders of the Western Roman magister militum, Flavius Aëtius and later Emperor Valentinian III on March 16, 455, declaring himself emperor the next day. He strengthened his position by forcing Valentinian's widow to marry him and forcing Valentinian's daughter to marry his son, thus cancelling the betrothal of his new wife's daughter to the son of the Vandal king. Diplomacy between the Western Empire and the Vandals broke down.

Valentinian's daughter, Empress Licinia Eudoxia, begged her proposed Vandal groom to rescue her. The Vandals responded by attacking Italy. Fleeing the Vandals, Maximus was separated from his bodyguards in the confusion and killed on May 31, having been emperor for 2 1/2 months. On June 2, 455, three days after Maximus' death, the Vandal King Geiseric captured Rome and sacked it for two weeks. Amidst the pillaging and looting of the city, and in response to the pleas of Pope Leo I, the Vandals refrained from arson, torture, and murder. The Vandals shipped boatloads of Romans to North Africa as slaves, destroyed works of art and killed a number of citizens. After sacking Rome, the Vandals took the Empress and her 2 daughters before leaving.

The leadership confusion after Maximus lasted 5 weeks. Marcus Avitus was proclaimed the new emperor of the Western Roman Emperor on July 9, 455 in Arles by the Goths. He was a Gaulic/Roman senator and a high-ranking officer both in the civil and military administration, as well as Bishop of Piacenza. As an aristocrat, he opposed the reduction of the Western Roman Empire to Italy alone, both politically and from an administrative point of view. For this reason, as Emperor he introduced several Gallic senators in the Imperial administration; this policy, however, was opposed by the old line senatorial aristocracy and by the arrogant people of Rome.

The legions of the Western and Eastern Roman Empires were depleted and exhausted from years of near continuous battles and skirmishes. The Germanic tribes, many now settled inside or just outside the boundaries of the Roman Empire, the Vandals, Visigoths, Suebi, Burgundians, Franks, Rugii, Ostogoths, Gepids, Alans, Heruli, Lombards as well as the Huns were equally depleted and exhausted from the continual jockeying and fighting for living space.

Raben managed to stay neutral but was growing increasingly disgusted with the chaos. Several minor incidents had occurred, mostly at sea. In every case the Corvus Shipping Fleets, all armed with cannons, had crushed the ‘pirates’ capturing or sinking those stupid enough to dare attack. All captured survivors were sent off to the Americas in chains to serve their time in slavery before being released to join the Clan. As for those in the home ports the Vandal pirates sailed from, huge Corvus Shipping Fleets blockaded the ports. The remnants of the defeated pirates were displayed and the previously warned ten fold retribution was demanded either in coin, grain or slaves. If the retribution was paid, the Corvus feet sailed away. If it was denied, several divisions of Raven Raiders landed to encircle the port from the landward side while the fleet blockaded the seaward sides. The cost of Raven Raiders landing and blocking the port were multiplied ten fold and added to the retribution. If they held out for a week, the Clan Corvo artillery let loose on the walls and harbor. The destruction was horrendous. The walls were breached, the gates destroyed, the harbor battlements reduced to rubble. The port was sacked, stripped of everything of value and the people carried off to slavery. Every building was utterly destroyed. All that remained were piles of rubble and ashes. Fortunately this only had to be done twice before the demanded retribution were paid upon demand. The Clan Corvo also did their best to reunite the enslaved pirates with their families.

The Vandals as well as the Western Roman Empire were quite aware that the Clan Corvo was allowing them to exist as naval powers. While this certainly unnerved them they felt secure that the Corvoians would keep their word not to attack unless provoked. The 2 destroyed ports and the numerous Corvus Shipping caravan defenses by the Raven Raiders demonstrated the ability of the Clan Corvo to enforce their warnings. In their arrogance they didn’t think the Clan Corvo would attack them without provocation.

During that time Corvus University had set up several foundries around Barmaz and other locations to produce cannons with rifling. Now each brigade had a troop sized battery of 9 cannons and every caravel in the Corvus Shipping Fleet was equipped with multiple cannons while the clinkers had a single short barrel cannon.

In addition, the metallurgists had mastered making much smaller barrels. The smiths began with a sheet of iron that is much thinner than the required barrel. The sheet was rolled into a thin tube that is the length of the barrel and slightly smaller than the required barrel diameter. Then a thicker strip of iron about an inch broad and chamfered to a point on either edge is heated a few inches at a time and wound around the tube. This iron ‘ribbon’ was rolled around the tube using a pair of tongs where one beak is short and flat and the other is rounded and long. The long beak is used to turn and press the heated ribbon strip on to the tube. It took 5 feet of ribbon to make one foot of barrel. Since it is hard to make a barrel from a single ribbon, the smith often made three of these separately and then welded them together into a single three-foot long barrel. Then the whole barrel was placed in the furnace to heat it and forge it as a single barrel. Then the barrel was put into a drilling jig and the inner tube drilled removing most of it, then a rifling bit cut the rifling. A plug was installed on one end and a vent for the lock was drilled leaving the ribbon formed rifled barrel.

Using this method they made hand held single shot matchlock rifles and muskets. They also developed a pointed conical lead bullet so that when fired the cupped bottom would flare to seal the barrel. The rifle and musket fired the same bullet. One troop in each company was equipped with rifles with the other 2 muskets. The Raven Raiders kept their rifles/muskets in a waterproof sheath on their saddle. A 50 cartridge bag was attached to the sheath but could be attached to a belt.

Raven Raider divisions were established and trained in many locations to use the black powder weapons along with their lances and swords. Beginning in November 455, the Atlantic islands sent 20 divisions and the Americas sent 30 divisions to Barmaz. These 50 divisions trained and blended with 25 Barmaz divisions creating 3 armies of 25 divisions each with 169,650 troops, 69,775 ravens, 2025 wolves, 225 eagles and 25 tigers.

During the turmoil of the infighting over the next Western Roman Emperor, the invasion of the Huns as well as the Vandal sack of Rome, Pope Leo flexed his political muscle. At the same time there was regular conflict with the bishops in Gaul as well as the bishops of the Eastern Roman Empire. Pope Leo demanded the Bishop of Rome be recognized as the leader of the entire Christian Church and that all bishops and priests acknowledge his supremacy as the successor of Peter.

While Raben respected Leo’s faith, he felt he was not the humble servant true Christianity required. “The Clan Corvo and Corvoian Christianity acknowledge the Nicene Creed which recognizes Jesus Christ as an equal part of the Holy Trinity. We do not recognize any human claiming to hold earthly authority in Chirst’s name. The Gospels and the New Testament are the sole source of God’s Holy words. Nor do we accept the blasphemy of the Roman Catholic Church in regards to male dominance and denying priesthood to women. Males and females are equals.”

Leo was infuriated at the unequivocal rejection of his authority by the Clan Corvo and Corvoian Christianity. The fact the Clan Corvo continually openly refuted Rome’s claim as God’s earthly spokesperson, going so far as to convert the Roman Catholics in Ireland, infuriated Leo. Pope Leo issued a proclamation condemning Corvoian Christianity as heresy and it’s followers heretics.

It was with a lot of reflection and prayer that Raben knew time had run out. The wars and raids outside Clan Corvo territory were never ending. Pope Leo’s action was the tipping point. By declaring Covoian Christianity heretical, war had been declared on Corvoian Christianity thus violating Barmaz pledge of neutrality. If he didn’t stop the turmoil, thousands would die every year in war, famines, and pestilence. The last vestiges of the Western Roman Empire as well as the Pope and the Roman Catholic Church needed to be crushed and absorbed into the Clan Corvo.

On March 15, 456, as soon as the winter storms in the Mediterranean ceased, the Corvus Shipping fleets, over 8000 ships from every Clan Corvo port, set sail. All vessels of the Western and Eastern Roman Navies as well as the Vandal fleets were targeted. The ships would either surrender or be sunk. All ports that harbored Roman or Vandal vessels would be blockaded until Corvo land forces arrived to take the cities. All other ports would be blockaded, inspecting all ships entering and leaving. All trading vessels would be boarded and searched for contraband. This stranded all Roman and Vandal forces and cut seaborne communications. With the raven overwatch no ship could slip through the iron blockade. A week later the 3 Raven Raider armies moved out of Barmaz.

Raben led Army Group A into Italy. Because of the Vandal actions, Italy was starving. Not only did the Vandals hold the north African breadbasket of Rome, their fleet had cut off grain from Egypt. In addition, the deprivations of the Huns in the north of Italy had disrupted the planting of grains in the fertile Po valley of northern Italy. As a result, Raben had wagon loads of grain brought with him. Army Group A was split into 5 corps of 5 divisions each. The I Corps swept into Turin before they were even aware of the invasion then moved northeast through Milan, Verona, Padua, Venice stopping at Trieste. A brigade was left to occupy each city and pacify the surrounding area. All priests were taken into custody and replaced by Corvoian priests. While word of the invasion had reached the other cities, they were totally unprepared, basically able to shut the gates but with no supplies and few troops to withstand a siege. The fact it was the Raven Raiders approaching terrified them. With the ravens and eagles overhead and promises the population would be treated fairly, the people in the cities threw open the gates allowing the Raven Raiders entry. A division of Raven Raiders moved north beyond Milan. A brigade, 2256 people and their animals, occupied and secured the Gotthard Pass {GM 46.558883, 8.561776}, a second brigade occupied and secured the nearby Julier Pass {GM 46.471758, 9.727601} while the third brigade was held as reserve between them. A division headed north from Verona. One brigade occupied and secured the Reschen Pass {GM 46.832947, 10.510744}, a second brigade occupied and secured the Brenner Pass {GM 47.005545, 11.507220} while a third brigade was held as reserve between them. A last division remained as a strategic mobile reserve in the area of Trieste to counter incursions from the east. All this was accomplished in 5 days.

Raben led the II Corps dash across northern Italy through Parma, Modena and Bologna leaving a brigade to take each city. Coordinating their assault on Ravenna with the Corvus Shipping fleet blockading the city from the Adriatic, the Raven Raiders surrounded and isolated Ravenna in 5 days. Their objective was to reach Ravenna and the Visgothic personal guard of the new Emperor Avitus. Knowing they would receive no quarter if they dared to fight, the personal guard brokered a deal to surrender. The Corps left a brigade to occupy Ravena then moved north to the area of Udine in northeast Italy forming a mobile response unit in case the Huns attempted an invasion.

The III Corps swept through and occupied Genoa, Pisa, Florence. Raben joined them to seize Rome. Just as in the north, there was no appreciable resistance. In Rome, Raben sought out Emperor Avitus and Pope Leo. Ativus tried to flee but was spotted by the raven overwatch, captured and enslaved. Leo had saved Rome from being sacked by Attila and had successfully limited the sacking of the city by the Vandals. He was also the first Pope to unilaterally insist through the auspices of the Emperor that the Bishop Rome had primacy over all other church leaders. As the Raven Raiders secured the city, Raben sent word that the head of the Corvoian Church demanded Leo, his aides and all the priests of Rome meet at Mazbar.

Indignant that he was being so brusquely summoned, Leo understood that he had no choice. Leo had met Raben 25 years before at the Council of Ephesus and respected the learned young man’s scriptural knowledge. Having faced down the Huns and Vandals, he was not about to submit himself to the self styled leader of the Heretic Corvoian Christians. Leo made the short trek to Mazbar only to be stunned when he met Raben. Raben still looked like a prepubescent boy! In 25 years he had not changed!

"Well old friend, I wish we could be meeting under better circumstances," Raben smiled. "However, the time has come for the Clan Corvo to bring peace to the world. I really wish I didn't have to do so by force of arms but there are far too many people infatuated by power."

"It is you," Leo gasped. "How? It's been 25 years since we met at Ephesus!"

"The Pope of Corvoian Christianity was just one of my many titles," Raben smiled. "I was the first Bishop of Barmaz, consecrated in 287 by the Bishop of Rome, Caius. I am the founder and head of the Clan Corvo. I am the Demon Slayer as well as founder and commanding General of the Raven Raiders. I am the founder of Corvus Scriptorium. I am the founder of Corvus Shipping. I am the head of Corvus University, and have many other titles. I was born in the year 161. In the year 175 I took on the Curse Jesus bestowed upon the legionnaire who pierced his side when he hung on the cross. I have not aged since that day. I'm 295 years old yet still look an immature 14."

"That's impossible," Leo shuddered. "How dare you claim such absurdities!"

"I dare because they're true," Raben declared. "You heard the tale when you were a child that Stilicho burned the Demon Slayer at the stake. That was me! I can't be killed or poisoned. It is because of my longevity that the Clan Corvo is so strong! My guidance on morality and Christianity is based on the teachings and lessons of Jesus Christ.”

Raben could tell Pope Leo and those with him doubted the truth of what Raben told them.

“Let me tell you about the Curse,” Raben continued. “Marcellus Longinus was a legionnaire in Jerusalem when Jesus was crucified. He was a member of the unit who nailed him to the cross and gambled for his robes. It was he who pierced Christ's side to see if he had died. When he did, the last tiny spark of Jesus' human life left his dead body in the water released by the piercing traveling down the spear onto the centurion's hands. Marcellus felt a slight tingle but thought little of it. That last spark of Jesus' humanity was the Curse."

“Longinus... he wielded the Holy Spear... the Spear of Destiny...” Leo gasped.

"Indeed. After receiving the Curse Marcellus never aged," Raben explained. "Any wound he received quickly healed. He had no idea why those things were happening but it didn't take long for people to realize he was different. Some accused him of witchcraft. He fled, moving from place to place trying to live a peaceful life but he failed. He was a soldier and had no other trade. He bought a marginal subsistence farm in the remote mountains of Switzerland, a place called Barmaz. But he could find no peace. In 175 he signed on as the captain of an unscrupulous merchant's slave raiding party." Raben went on to explain how he rescued his captured clanspeople and killed Marcellus Longinus inheriting the Curse.

"Since I was a trained Ianuarian as well as a skilled hunter, I was able to use my skills to do good," Raben summed up the story of his life. "I started Corvus Scriptorium to collect all writings about Jesus. I have them all in the Corvus Scriptorium Library in Barmaz, even those that have been labeled as false and heretical since they form part of the history of Christianity. My scriptural knowledge is so broad because I've read them all. I fully agree with the Nicene Creed and as the Pope of the Corvoian Church that is our Creed. So don't even try to say that we are blasphemers."
Leo was momentarily speechless finding Raben's story difficult to believe but clearly Raben and his people believed it. "If what you say is true, then you must admit that as the successor of Peter, I am the head of the Christian Church."

"No." Raben replied. "Jesus was a humble man without pretensions of grandeur. He dressed and lived simply with no possessions other than what he wore. Peter lived the same modest unpretentious life. Even the great Apostle Paul performed manual labor to support himself while preaching about Jesus. I endeavor to live the same way, a simple honest caring lifestyle. You can see I have no jewels nor precious metals. My clothes are simple and plain. I have no palatial home. Yet I lead the Corvoian Church and the Clan Corvo. We have moved to take over the Roman Empire because of the turmoil in and outside the borders. I will do the same with the Roman Church. You know the Clan Corvo has been taking in widows and orphans for years as well as feeding the poor. Even now as we take over we're bringing in food for the starving population. Yet while your ‘sheep’ starve, you and your priests eat well. You preach about Jesus yet do not listen to your own words. The Clan Corvo treats everyone as equals. No one is better than another. The man who cleans latrines is just as valuable as a priest. Your so called Christian church does not follow Christ’s teachings."

"You establish priests as an omni-competent administrator, teacher, evangelist, theologian, and counselor; setting them up as the paternalistic authority figure in the church. The priests are self centered, arrogant and present themselves as superior to the laity. Extensive legal privileges including complete tax exemption have turned the priesthood into a lucrative and rewarding career rather than the humble servant Jesus wanted his followers to be. Being a priest has changed from being an avocation to a career. Most began studying for the priesthood from a sincere desire to help their fellow man. Unfortunately the way you operate the Roman Church places the priest in a position of power and wealth. Power and wealth corrupt. Their sincere desire to help mankind slowly morphs to judgmental hypocrite where they simply tell the people what to do while taking in more wealth. Such pastorates are the antithesis of Christ’s teachings. Rarely does such a priest truly unite with the laity of the church. Congregations are governed by priests who are self-important lone leaders who consider themselves to be far superior to the non consecrated elders in the church. Bishops have drifted even further from the congregations they serve leaving smaller churches for more prestigious ones. The bishop should be the minister of the word, the keeper of knowledge, the mediator between God and the laity in the divine worship. In your Roman church you have made Bishops rulers and governors with the Pope as king and potentate; he is, next after God, your earthly god, who has unjustly appropriated the right to be honored by the laity. The bishops preside over the laity as one honored with the authority of God, which he is to exercise over the clergy, and by which he is to govern all the people. It has become practice that the king-like bishops of some churches were more important than others. Such monarchial bishophood has led to your demand all Christians recognize the special honor due to the bishop of the church of Rome as the successor to Saint Peter. You ignore what Jesus said in rebuking his disciples starting in Luke 9:46 ‘Jesus’ followers began to have an argument about which one of them was the greatest. Jesus knew what they were thinking. So he took a little child and stood the child beside him. Then Jesus said, “If anyone accepts a little child like this in my name, then he accepts me. And when he accepts me, he accepts the One who sent me. He who is least among you all - he is the greatest.’”

"Jesus condemned the Jewish hierarchy amongst the Pharisees for being arrogant and more concerned with the minute of the laws while ignoring the intent of the laws. Your ecclesiastical structure is clearly patterned after the Old Covenant. Where else could one find a model of church government which exalted a priesthood over the rest of the people? What you have allowed to happen to your church is a resounding denial of Christ's proclamation of the priesthood of all believers! Your exaltation of Old Covenant principles is in clear opposition to the New Covenant of equality. Many of your churches deny the grace of God to those who they consider to be sinners which is exactly the opposite of Christ's teachings! Christ specifically ministered to sinners! As the self assumed superiority of the clergy continues to develop, so does their contempt of the laity. You put yourselves above others, making yourselves an exclusive clique. You collect wealth but are hesitant to use it for the good of the masses. You attempt to force non-believers to believe. But your worst actions are against women."

"In Galatians 3:28 it clearly states: ‘So there is no difference between Jews and Gentiles, between slaves and free people, between men and women; you are all one in union with Christ Jesus.' Raben explained. "Yet you and those before you have prohibited women from seeking leadership, teaching the Gospel and being priests. Jesus had women with him in positions of leadership. Mary Magdalene supported Jesus' ministry and was the glue that kept the disciples together. She was the first to see Christ after his resurrection! Yet you deny her importance and the importance of all women. In your church women are not even considered part of the laity! Your treatment of women is more than enough justification for the Corvoian Church to crush the Roman Catholic Church."

Leo was livid. "How dare you judge us? You blaspheme..."

"I dare because it's the right thing to do and because I can," Raben cut him off. "You dare accuse me of blasphemy when it is YOU who is the true blasphemer! Those who follow in Christ's footsteps are to be humble and subservient to the their flock. Jesus is the great shepherd who's life is devoted to his sheep, living WITH them, suffering what they suffer. Instead you live separately in luxury and hold yourselves above those you should serve! You have corrupted Christ's teaching just as much as the Pharisees corrupted Judaism. Jesus specifically pointed out their hypocrisy yet you and your predecessors have led your church into just such hypocrisy! The utter destruction of the Roman Church is not open to debate. It is happening and will continue to happen. You know the Roman Empire was dying. I'm giving it the coup de gras. There will be no Pope in Rome, no Pope in Alexandria, no Pope in Constantinople. Clan Corvo women have been welcomed into the Corvoian Christian priesthood. We will welcome women in the areas we're taking to become priests. All priests at every level will study and be ordained in Barmaz at Corvo University so there is no conflict about theology. Any priest who puts himself above others will be reprimanded and if necessary removed."

“All current priests at all levels who wish to remain priests will be re-educated in gender equality and Christ like humility and servitude at the University of Corvo,” Raben explained. “Jesus said his disciples are to be SERVANTS of the people and share the message that Christ died as atonement for our sins. Jesus called himself the Good Shepard, one who looks out for the well being of the flock. A Shepard leads their flock with love and kindness, leading by example. A true believer will not rule over fellow Christians, they well guide from within the group, not by positioning themselves above the group. A priest has no right to judge. Jesus said judgement was to be left to God on high. We should not judge others lest we be likewise judged. That does not mean sins can’t be pointed out and explained. It means giving the sinner the word of God so each individual can make a decision about how to live their life. Humanity has free will to decide how they behave. No one will be forced to follow the teachings of Jesus.”

“If you or one of your bishops or priests can not accept Corvoian Jesus centric Christianity, they will be allowed to leave the priesthood and become part of the employed laity. Any who will not accept the new reality but want to retain their priestly prerogatives will be relocated to isolated monasteries where, as monks, they can contemplate the majesty of God. Any who rebel or attempt to recruit followers to the now banished Roman Christianity will be enslaved as punishment. I will be replacing each of your priests and bishops with ordained Corvoian Christian priests. All priests will have the same 4 choices you must now choose; to be reeducated at Corvo University to become Corvoian Clergy, go to a monastery, leave the ministry taking up another profession, or slavery. I expect your decision when we reach Barmaz. If you fail to make a decision, I'll have no choice but to assume you intend to resist the change which will mean slavery."

Leo and those with him were left outraged and speechless. Yet they realized that Raben held all the pieces and power. They knew all in the Clan Corvo were utterly loyal to Raben so there would be no way of talking their way out of their situation.

Emperor Avitus was not given a choice about his fate. He was enslaved and sent to Senegal. If he accepted his fate even he could earn his freedom in 3 years. Unfortunately, since he had never done physical work in his life he didn’t survive slavery.

After securing the city of Rome, the III Corps continued advancing down the west coast of the Italian peninsula pushing the stranded Vandals south onto Sicily as they took Naples. As the III Corps swept down to Reggio Calabria, one brigade was quietly detached for a special mission. Alaric, the Visigoth King, had died in Cosenza in 410 after sacking Rome. They had diverted the Busento River to bury him in the river bed with a good portion of the treasure they'd taken from Rome. They executed all locals who knew the location after putting the river back into it's bed. They didn't know Clan Corvo spies with raven overwatch knew the location. The detached brigade quickly retrieved the treasure.

The rest of the III Corps moved across the Strait of Messina to take Sicily from the Vandal occupiers. The Vandals had been under heavy naval blockade for weeks and knew they were facing the Clan Corvo. The appearance of the Raven Raiders on the toe of Italy crushed their hopes of relief. Determined to die bravely, the fighting was brief as the Raven Raiders brought their artillery to bear. The explosions and flying death of the cannonballs and explosive shells shattered their courage. But it was the Raven Raiders using their hand-held black powder weapons that terrified them. All Vandal resistence quickly collapsed.

The IV Corps traveled down the east coast of Italy around the boot to link with the III Corps. The V Corps stayed in reserve along the Po river in the north. Once III and IV Corps linked, V Corps moved over to take up position with the II Corps around Udine. Italy was totally under the control of the Clan Corvo.

The Army Group B swept out of Barmaz along the Durance River. The I Corps took Avignon, Arles, then up the Rhone to Valence as well as west to Nimes, Montpellier, Narbonne, Toulouse down to the Pyrenees. The II Corps headed west to the Bay of Biscay securing the coast from the Pyrenees north through Bordeaux, Limoges, Nantes, Brest Caen, Le Mans, Tours, Orleans, Bourges and Poitiers. The III Corps crossed the Pyrenees taking the Atlantic Coast of Iberia through Bilboa, Santander, A Coruna, Vigo and Porto taking the cities of Vitoria-Gasteiz, Leon, Valadolid, Salamanca and Coimbra. The IV Corps swept down the east Iberian coast taking Valencia, Murcia, Grenada, Malaga, and Cadiz linking with Gibraltar. The V Corps headed across the interior of Iberia to the southwest coast taking Zaragoza, Madrid, Toledo, the silver and lead mines at Nerva, Cordoba, Seville, Lisbon and Faro overwhelming all resistence both Roman, Suebi and Visigoth.

Word of the taking of Rome and capturing/deposing the Emperor and Pope spread rapidly across the Roman world. The battle weary Roman and Germanic peoples only put up token resistence to the massed Raven Raiders when they appeared. Only twice was the artillery unlimbered. Short barrages were all that was needed to convince the resistence to fold. The priests and bishops were sent off to Corvo University for their reeducation. The Corvoian Christian priests easily slipped into the vacuum. Many of the Clan Corvo members selected for the priesthood and Corvo Assimilators had learned the languages of the people they were administering. It became standard practice that all nobility and upper classes, the former societal elite were rounded up, their excessive wealth confiscated and used to increase the sanitation and cleanliness of the newly acquired areas. The former elite were distributed across the Clan Corvo holdings from the Americas, Europe and Africa.

Army Group C headed out of Barmaz down the Rhone River. I Corps took Lyon, Macon, Saint-Etienne, Clairmont-Ferrand, Besancon, Dijon Troyes and Paris. II Corps swept west to the Atlantic coast linking with the II Corps of Army Group B taking Roen and Le Harve, Reims, Amiens, Arras, Calais, Lille, Ghent, Brussels, Burges and Antwerp sweeping up the Franks. III Corps headed east into Switzerland through Luasanne, Bern, Lucerne, Zurick Basel, Liechenstein and Constanz. IV Corps headed north taking Nancy, Stausbourg, Metz, Saarbrucken, Ludwigshafen, Mainz, Trier, and Luxemburg sweeping up the Burgundians. V Corps headed further north taking Koblenz, Liege, Aachen, Bonn, Cologne, Eindhoven, Arnhem and Utrecht. They secured everything west of the Rhine.
The Gaulic/Roman and Germanic peoples here were also tired of the near constant fighting and raiding. The legends of the Raven Raiders were known by all and to see so many unnerved them. Some of the Germans briefly resisted. Fortunately the Raven Raiders moved too fast for them to organize meaningful resistance. The few who attempted to fight were swiftly cut down under cannonade followed up with the hand held black powder weapons.

In Ireland, 24 years after the Corvian conquest, the 350,000 Irish were thoroughly assimilated as part of the 1,490,000 Clan Corvians living on the Emerald Isle. They supplied 40 divisions of Raven Raiders, 271,440 troops, 111,640 ravens, 3240 wolves, 360 eagles and 40 tigers. In addition, 5 divisions of Raven Raiders came south from Bazram and another 5 were drawn from the Isle of Man since this operation would eliminate the need for such a large force on the island. The 50 divisions gathered on Ireland in 2 armies to cross the Irish Sea in a 2 pronged assault into Anglesey and Pembrokeshire. Civilians were ready to follow to bring the Clan Corvo to the conquered people of Britain. The Army Group D moved across to Anglesy, then swept east to take the Roman fort at Chester, Manchester, Sheffield, Leeds, York and Hull on the east coast. Army group E crossed at Pembrokshire swept east taking Cardiff, Bristol, down through Cornwall along the southern coast taking Dover and London. At the same time the Corvus Shipping fleet from Bazram was crushing the ships of the Jutes, Angles, Saxons and Franks as the forces of Army Group C took their homes on the continental coasts south of the Rhine. Their traders and raiders were shut down. All trading would now be done by Corvus Shipping vessels. They were allowed fishing vessels only with the threat of wholesale destruction if they attempted to renew raiding as they had done for the past 300 years. Without the support from their continental homelands, their colonies on Britain were swept up along with the Britain/Roman peoples of the country. The continental wars had drawn off virtually all the Roman troops. All that was left were a few mercenaries, some retired legionaries and the private troops of the wealthy landowners. When faced with the well organized and efficient Raven Raiders, resistence quickly crumbled. By the end of the year, all of Britain south of Hadrian's Wall was under the control of the Clan Corvo.

Again the resistence was brief and disorganized. They were unable to mass large numbers of fighters and were quickly defeated. The mostly earth and wooden defenses of the numerous forts of the wealthy and the cities were easily breeched by a brief cannonade. The overwhelming strength and numbers of the Raven Raiders along with the promise of fair treatment they quickly surrendered. The priests were rounded up and sent to Corvo University while Corvoian Christians took over.

The biggest attacks came out of Senegal. There were 110 Raven Raider divisions in Senegal with more than that number of civilians to follow up to assimilate the overwhelmed peoples. Ten divisions would be on garrison duty inside Senegal. Some Raven Raiders divisions had adapted to the desert raids of the Berbers by replacing their horses with camels. Army Group F swept north and east. The I Corps was 5 camel mounted divisions. One division swept across the deserts of Mauritania into Morocco, another division went through Mali into Algeria, a third division traveled through Niger into Algeria/Libya, a fourth division swept through Niger and Chad into Libya/Egypt and a fifth division headed through Niger and Chad into Sudan. They bypassed walled communities in the areas of sub-Sahara as they moved into the sandy wastes. These units with raven/eagle overwatch would search out and sweep up the desert dwellers. The remaining 4 Corps of horse mounted divisions swept up the coast through Mauritania into Western Sahara into Morocco then swung east through Algeria into Libya and into Egypt stopping in Sinai, linking with the camel mounted troops. The Berbers were too independent to organize. Their clans didn't trust each other so could not come together. The Vandals were stretched far too thin with their presence in Iberia and their fleets throughout the Mediterranean and troops of occupation to be able to mount meaningful resistence. The Romans remaining in north Africa were under the thumb of the Vandals. Word of the conquest of Rome left them without the will to resist. Resistence in Egypt was brief. The Egyptians knew how the Clan Corvo and Corvus Scriptorium always helped the poor and those in need. The speed of the Raven Raider advance virtually eliminated resistence before it could begin.

Remembering the murder of Hypatia, Fiach ordered the intolerant, arrogant bishop of Alexandria, the city’s priests as well as the priests of the rest of Egypt along with the thousands of aesthetic monks from the desert monasteries of Egypt and Sinai were rounded up; numbering around 25,000, all were enslaved with no chance of reeducation and put to work cleaning out and expanding the Pharaonic Canal. Senusret III, a pharaoh of Egypt {1878-1839 BCE}, was the fifth king of the 12th Dynasty of the Middle Kingdom is the first who tried and failed to build a canal from the Nile to the Red Sea. Necho II of Egypt was a Pharoah of the 26th Dynasty {610–595 BCE}. Necho undertook a number of construction projects across his kingdom one of which was an uncompleted canal connecting the Nile with the Red Sea. Darius the Great {522–486 BCE} was the fourth king of the Persian Achaemenid Empire. After conquering Egypt, he resumed construction of the abandoned canal, completing it in 497 BCE. Unfortunately, the level of the Red Sea was higher than the Nile so salt water started intruding threatening the entire Nile delta so it was closed. Ptolemy II, was the king of Ptolemaic Egypt {283-246 BCE} who re-dug the abandoned canal digging a trench 100 feet wide, 30 feet deep and about 45 miles long, as far as the Bitter Lakes through the Wadi Tumilat. {A no longer existing branch of the Nile, the Pelusiac, which reached the Mediterranean near Port Said, ran on the east side of the town of Zagazig. The Wadi Tumilat, which was an even more ancient branch of the Nile, starts 11 miles southeast of Zagazig and runs to Lake Timsah paralleling the Ismalia-El Zakazik road.} adding a lock to prevent salt water intrusion. The canal would allow Corvus Shipping to send trading missions to India.

Army Group G had boarded the Corvus Shipping battle fleet to capture or destroy the Vandal fleet in the Mediterranean taking the Islands of Corsica, Sardinia, Mallorca, Menorca, and Malta in the western Mediterranean as well as the Eastern and Western Roman fleets then sweeping into the western Mediterranean to take the islands of Crete and Cyprus as well as all Greek islands with sizeable ports. The cannons on board the ships made short work of harbor defenses and other ships. The wise sailors surrendered, the ignorant sank to their deaths.

Army Group H headed east following the camel division heading to Sudan taking Mali, Niger, and Chad and Sudan. The camel division headed north between the Nile and the Red Sea while Army Group H swept through the horn of Africa taking South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Somalia, Uganda and Kenya. Army Group J headed south and east from Senegal taking Nigeria, Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guiana, Gabon, the Republic of Congo and the northern half of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Army Groups H and J had a division of Pathfinders attached to each Corps. Raben knew there were virtually no roads in the areas they were entering. The paths that existed did not accommodate wheeled vehicles. The engineers had to use the conquered peoples to build roads and bridges as they split up and intermixed the tribal and clan populations. The experience gained in Senegal enabled the priests of the Corvoian Church to begin converting the conquered peoples. As was Clan Corvo practice, the languages were recorded with their legends and lineages written down.

All non-Corvoian Christian priests along with the few Arianist priests were replaced by Corvoian Christian priests. The removed priests were taken to the regional administrative city. There they were given options ranging from re-education to slavery. Likewise Corvoian civilian administrators ousted all local administrators, rounding up all who held positions of authority and power along with their families as their possessions were confiscated. This included the pompous senators, military officers and other governmental officials.

These people were held prisoner for a month allowing the public to lodge legal complaints against the deposed officials. These societal elites were split into family units, then shipped off to locations ranging from Senegal to the Americas to be integrated in the Clan Corvo. Those who had abused their power, which were all too numerous, were sentenced to slavery. The common people, who had lived under the heel of the former elites, were taught about the egalitarian Clan Corvo as the Corvo administrators moved in to begin assimilating the locals. Family run farms were allowed to continue. Farms where tenants worked the land for wealthy land owners were confiscated as was their wealth. The land was divided amongst the tenants allowing them to take ownership of their parcel. The land owner was given a chance to join their former tenants farming a family sized plot. If they refused they were relocated at least 500 miles away. Most chose to be relocated since their former tenants held deep seated beliefs, usually justified, that the land owners had taken advantage of them.

In every church and monastery, Raben sent scribes to gather up the writings, records, and relics. The same was done in every political jurisdiction. All records and relics were gathered. The religious and political writings and relics were labeled, packed up and sent to Barmaz for collation and storage or display.

As the first year of action of Operation Harmony ended, Raben accompanied the caravan with Pope Leo, his aids and the other top Roman Catholic officials and priests traveling to Barmaz. Each evening they held intense discussions on Christianity and the Clan Corvo. When they arrived at the Barmaz border they were stunned by the walls surrounding Barmaz. But it was upon seeing the vast library of the Corvus Scriptorium that they were truly gobsmacked. They had never imagined such a huge library could exist much less that it did. They had thought Raben had been exaggerating about the huge library, they began to understand that Raben was well read and indeed the foremost Christian scholar.

That first night Raben had a formal supper with Leo and his priests. They had also seen the many women already consecrated as priests or studying to do so, which disgusted them.

Raben entered the dining room dressed in his normal homespun robe while his guests were dressed in their best robes. After having them take seats around the round table, wine was served. "I have much to tell you tonight. I told you I was trained as an Ianuarian as a child. I was one of a set of triplets. Our widowed mother was just 14 and had a difficult time with the pregnancy and birth, not making it to full term. My brothers were born before me and were just a bit undersize. I was born considerably undersize. No one expected me to survive and my village didn't want to waste their resources trying. Fortunately the tribal Ianuarian, an older woman, saw something in me and adopted me. I grew up by her side, traveling from village to village as needed. I learned her secrets. I learned herbal lore. As I slowly grew we discovered my body was not normal. While I was a boy with normal male genitals, we discovered I was also a girl with normal female genitals. I was and am simultaneously fully male and female."

Leo and his priests were shocked. "Then you are an abomination," Leo pronounced.

"Once more you are wrong," Raben gently declared. "God made humans in his image. Most humans are made male or female. God is, by his very nature, everything, therefore God is both male and female. Men much like yourselves misunderstood that when God made us in his image, they incorrectly assumed God was male rather than simultaneously both male and female. I speak from experience, being both male and female is not easy. God took pity on humanity by making most of us only male or female. Like me, a few of us are truly born in God's image, both male and female."

Leo realized he could neither confirm nor refute Raben's words. That really irritated him.

"As we talk I'll step behind this screen to switch to my alternate identity, my twin sister Fiach," Raben declared as he started to disrobe. "The Celtic Goddess of healing, Ianuaria, exists. I have met and spoken to her several times."

“BLASPHEMY” shouted Leo indignantly. “Ianuaria is a pagan myth! There is only the ONE TRIUNE GOD!”

“Another misinterpretation of the scriptures,” Raben/Fiach calmly replied. “The Triune God we worship is the supreme God. Remember this, throughout the scriptures other gods are mentioned. They can not compete with our God. God has commanded ‘thou shall have no gods before me’. Ianuaria is a lesser god of the Celtic Faith. She has told me she is actually an Angel of the Triune God. The pagan gods are in reality the angels of the one true God. Earlier peoples were not ready for one God so angels became God’s puppet godlings.”

One of the priests asked, “So why did they compete with our God?”

“They didn’t,” Fiach explained. “Their followers acted on their own. That’s why none of them ever showed up when God’s prophets challenged them. Their worshipers lost faith in their lesser gods and they were able to slip into obscurity. Some of their followers turned to the victorious God.”

Fiach stepped from behind the screen. “Now you see me in my female guise, Fiach. Since I am both male and female, I know that women are just as capable of being in the priesthood as men.”

Leo and his compatriots were once more left confounded.

“Now, back to my history. As my adopted mother aged I began treating patients while she supervised. By age 14, I was the tribal Ianuarian. I developed an affinity for wildlife becoming the best hunter in the tribe. Due to the circumstance of my birth, I was always smaller than my brothers and other age-mates. It was at that point the Roman Slavers attacked our tribe. I was out doing rounds so I missed the actual attack. I found my adopted mother crucified to a tree, dying. I was too small to get her down. She told me it was too late to save her but that I could rescue the prisoners. Then she asked me to ease her death. I did so and hugged her as she passed. I was furious and set off after the slavers. I took out the night watch with arrows, then slipped through the camp slitting the throats of the sleeping men. Then I freed my captured tribesmen. As I was doing that, one of the men I’d killed returned to life, Marcellus Longinus. He was weak so I was able to pin him to a tree with a spear then used arrows to pin his arms and legs. He realized I was different since I’d single handedly wiped out his band of 98 men. He was tired of living and begged me to kill him, going so far as to name me his heir. He even told me I had to utterly destroy his body, burn it to ashes and then pound the charred bones to powder. Only once he was nothing but ash and powder would the regeneration end. Those who knew Marcellus thought he was a Demon since he didn’t age and quickly healed all wounds and even came back to life if killed. I utterly destroyed his body. As I pulverized the last bit of bone, I felt the Curse flow into me. I have not aged since that day. I heal all wounds. I’ve died and came back to life. By killing Marcellus Longinus I killed the Demon thus becoming the Demon Slayer.”

“I continued as tribal Ianuarian well into adulthood. But since I never aged people began whispering that I was a witch, so I headed out into the world entering the Roman Empire. I sought out the farm Marcellus Longinus owned that I inherited. That farm was Barmaz. Later I brought my birth mother, my triplet mate brothers and their wives and kids and my step brother and step sister and their mates and kids to Barmaz farm. They were the start of the Clan Corvo. Many of the members of the Clan Corvo are my nephews and nieces. In time all will be my descendants through my mother. I am the head of the Clan Corvo and my longevity and unending leadership is what keeps us centered and strong.” Fiach walked to a side table, picked up a large drawstring bag made of undyed wool and brought it to the supper tables.

"Marcellus Longinus saved this," Fiach said as she opened the bag and reverently drew out a spear point. "It is the Lance of Longinus, the Holy Spear. This is the tip of the spear that pierced Christ's side. The brown residue is the dried blood of our lord and savior."

Pope Leo and his aides made the sign of the Cross and knelt before the Holy Relic. "You keep that hidden away here in your mountain stronghold," Leo whispered in disbelief. "It should be kept in Rome so all might be blessed by seeing it."

"No," Fiach replied. "It's too dangerous. Look how you have reacted. You pay homage to it. Those with weaker wills would worship it, tearing them from Christ. I feel the same way about the cross. While the cross is important, too many people pray to the cross, not God."

So began the re-education of the Roman Catholic clergy. The hierarchy of the Roman Catholic Church was torn apart and destroyed. Many who refused to accept Corvoian Christianity were banished to monasteries on remote islands where fresh air and physical labor cleared their minds. If they refused to work, they were not fed. Leo and many of the bishops eventually headed to obscurity in monasteries in the isolated Faroe Islands and Shetland Islands where everyone had to work to live a meek subsistence style life of piety. The more reasonable clergy accepted the re-education offered at Corvo University after which they were returned to the ministry but never in a familiar place. Even if they managed to return to their former parish they would find the population much changed due to the rapid assimilation of the formerly downtrodden 95%. Many older priests felt their calling to be a priest made them better than the common people entitling them to ‘lead’ their parishioners in the mysterious ways of Christ. They could not accept the Corvoian Christian concept that priests were servants of the common people. Many simply could not accept the humility required of the Corvoian Christian priests, choosing to leave the ministry. None were allowed to return to their homeland. Along with a few hard core theologians, the older priests found themselves enslaved working on state organized engineering projects until their defiant attitude broke or they died. Those who broke were freed to join Corvoian society as freemen or to head to a remote monastery.

Overall during the first year of Operation Harmony, the few times stiff resistence occurred, the cannons of the brigade artillery stunned and destroyed all resistence. At sea, the cannons on board every Corvus Shipping vessel easily annihilated all resistence. From amongst the conquered peoples, the tribes and clans in Europe, the Middle East and Africa; the elite were rounded up and relocated hundreds of miles away. Those who remained, the common people, for the first time in their lives were treated with respect and allowed to flower. Their sense of belonging and security was easily transferred to the Clan Corvo.

There had been 225 divisions of Raven Raiders committed to the massive assault, 1,526,850 warriors from a Clan Corvo population of 40,223,755. Raben had been quietly building the troops and fleets for over 25 years so there really was no quick massive arms build up. Logistics had been mastered as well as unit army communications via raven overwatch. Grain and other food supplies had been stockpiled. Specially trained and experienced Clan Corvo farmers spread into every region to teach the progressive techniques and new crops. Attempts by local defenders to catch the Raven Raiders by surprise or in traps never succeeded thanks to the vigilant birds and animals. Eagles did long range overview flights while the ravens did follow-ups and near range observation. The wolves and tigers provided protection to the camps and units during the night. In addition, the Raven Raiders and their mounts were conditioned to travel at a rate of 30 miles a day for a week. With a rest of one day they could do so again. They Raven Raiders were able to outmaneuver all opposition. All targeted areas were occupied by September. The troops built winter barracks and patrols rounded up those who had fled into the wilds.

The colonial expansion in the Americas continued. {The Inca had not yet coalesced into a viable civilization.} The only semi-organized culture in South America was the Moche in Peru but they were not politically organized as an empire. They were a group of mini-states that shared a common culture. In North America the tribes along the Mississippi were just coalescing into settlements from semi-nomadic lifestyles. There were dozens of other proto-cultures in Americas but none were even remotely organized enough to provide meaningful resistence to the incessant expansionist pressures of the Clan Corvo. The fact the native Americans had no beasts of burden or wagons put them at a tremendous disadvantage as compared to the Clan Corvo. There were many brief small skirmishes but no major battles. As much as possible, the natives were gently assimilated into the Clan Corvo. To assist in Operation Harmony, another 25 divisions of Raven Raiders were transported to Europe.

During the winter of 456-457, Clan Corvo civilians and priests were well into the process of assimilating the people of Britain, Gaul, Iberia and Italy in Europe. The same was happening in the newly occupied areas of Africa. As the enslaved monks finished the Pharaonic Canal, they would be sent further east along with other enslaved prisoners to work on state engineering projects such as dams, roads and bridges.

The Eastern Roman Empire was in turmoil. After the fall of Italy and the easy overwhelming wholesale destruction of the Roman Navy as well as the simultaneous conquest of Roman Africa and Europe, Emperor Marcian, along with the rest of the Eastern Roman Empire, was stunned that the entire Western Roman Empire and their barbarian Federatae had fallen to the Clan Corvo within a span of 3 months. The fantastical tales of the ferocity and battle acumen of the Raven Raiders no longer seemed so far fetched. Tales that they commanded thunder and lightning to destroy walls seemed even more chimerical. The loss of Egypt and the loss of control of the seas hit them especially hard. Those in power had difficulty believing the Clan Corvo had not only overrun the Western Empire, they overran the many barbarian tribes the Western Empire had been forced to accommodate for centuries. The utter destruction of the Imperial Navy was a devastating blow and they correctly feared the Corvoian onslaught would hit them next. They hurriedly recalled what forces they could from the eastern borders and unsuccessfully attempted to hire Huns and other barbarian mercenaries to bolster their forces. The barbarians were also stunned by the rapid and utter conquests by the Corvoians. The barbarians could see the large numbers of Raven Raiders across the borders. After 3 months of hard campaigning, they witnessed well disciplined strong units who seemed as if they'd just taken to the field rather than the expected weary haggard warriors after 3 months and hundreds of miles of campaigning. The barbarians too were depleted, weary by the many years of unending fighting and were too worried about their own fate to send any assistance to Constantinople.

The Persian Sassanids took advantage of the chaos and withdrawal of border troops by the Eastern Roman Empire to push north against the borders of the Western Roman Empire aiming for control of the southern shores of the Black Sea. A deeply religious man, Emperor Yazdegerd II also wanted to firmly establish Zoroastrianism as the state religion. Unlike the religious tolerance of his predecessors, he grew suspicious of the Christians in the Sassanid army and expelled them all from the governing body and army, persecuting the Christians in his land, and, to a much lesser extent, the Jews. His mistake was discounting the threat of the distant Clan Corvo. After all, they had over 3 centuries of back and forth fighting with the Roman Empire. They knew all too well that the Roman Empire was a tough enemy so they assumed that to have taken Rome the upstart Corvoians had caught the Roman Empire unprepared.

They also incorrectly assumed the Romans had made the Corvoians pay dearly for their victory. They also assumed the Romans in Constantinople would be able to battle the Corvoians to a stalemate.

Army Group K arrived from the Americas in December, 456. They spread out to occupy and hold Iberia, Gaul, Switzerland, Italy North Africa, Egypt and garrison the Mediterranean islands. Replacing Army Groups A, B, C, F and G allowing them to participate in the coming spring offences.

In February 457 Amy Group F renewed the Corvoian advance from the Sinai Peninsula. I Corps, the Camel Corps, swept around the northern end of the Gulf of Aqaba into Saudi Arabia taking Medina, Mecca, Riyadh, Bahrain, Qatar, Yemen and Oman, the entire Arabian Peninsula. The II Corps moved across the Sinai into Palestine moving between the Mediterranean Sea and the Dead Sea/Jordan River taking Jerusalem, Trye, Tripoli, Damascus, Homs, Aleppo and Antioch. The III, IV and V Corps, 101,790 Raven Raiders, paralleled II Corps along the east side of the Jordan Rift taking Petra, Amman and Damascus. After turning Petra, Amman and Damascus over to II Corps, they headed east into the Syrian Desert.

The Romans had controlled most of the territory within 130 miles of the Mediterranean Coast. While the Sassanid Empire was centered around the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers, it also occupied Iraq, Iran, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Pakistan and Afghanistan. The Sassanid capital was Ctesiphon located on the east bank of the Tigris River, about ten miles south of the end of it's navigable portion, roughly 20 miles south of Bagdad. Because of the terrain, the border between the Eastern Roman Empire and the Sassanid Empire was not fixed due to the barren lands, much of it desert, between them. The distance from Amman to Ctesiphon was 511 miles crossing first the Euphrates River and then the Tigris River.

The Sassanids learned of the successful Clan Corvo attack along the southeastern Mediterranean Coast, easily overrunning the vast majority of the Eastern Roman Empire forces allowing only a handful to escape into Anatolia. They knew the Clan Corvo had utterly destroyed the Roman Navy and taken the islands of the eastern Mediterranean. They were happy the centuries old adversary of the Sassanids was crumbling. However the Sassanids were caught unprepared when a large cavalry force unexpectedly emerged from the Syrian Desert to swat their border troops guarding the Euphrates River as if they were nothing more than bothersome flies. By the time word of the Raven Raiders unexpected attack reached Ctesiphon, the Raven Raiders had crossed en mass at Ramadi, just 70 miles from the southern most ford across the Euphrates which was just 13 miles north of the capital. After the initial messenger from Ramadi, news from the area ended. Scouts sent to investigate never returned.

Disbelieving the Clan Corvo could mount a significant long range offensive they assumed it was just a small scouting force that had caught their forces unawares to test their strengths. They figured it would take a month for sufficient forces to reach the area before they could mount more than a harassing attack.

As a precaution Yazdegerd II sent out messengers ordering all available troops from the southern and eastern borders to the capital to meet the unexpected new threat while ordering his northern forces to press their attack to the Black Sea. Larger scouting parties were dispatched to gauge the size and composition of the Clan Corvo forces. None of those scouts returned, however a small haggard remnant of the troops that had been stationed at Ramadi on the Euphrates stumbled into the troops guarding the vital ford.

Only 3 of the nearly 3000 man border cavalry force made it to the Tigris and they were horribly wounded. Not from battle wounds, but from raven attacks! They were rushed to Ctesiphon and the Emperor where they relayed that thousands of ravens had appeared over the city the day before the attack. The attack came shortly after dawn when thousands of cavalry troops accompanied by wolves and tigers with eagles and ravens overhead slammed through their defenses as if they didn't exist. They reported the troops on the west bank of the Euphrates were slaughtered and overwhelmed in fifteen minutes forcing the river crossing and sweeping through the city within a half hour of the initial assault. The ravens and eagles swarmed anyone who broke ranks raking them with their claws, plucking out eyes with their beaks and even ripping open throats. They reported they'd been part of a mounted unit, 300 strong, who were dispatched to warn Ctesiphon. As they fled the debacle, the birds had harassed them and the unrelenting Corvoian cavalry had cut them down. The survivors admitted it seemed clear they had been allowed to escape. Worse, these terrifying troops were less that an hour away.

Emperor Yazdegerd II and his staff were stunned. His personal body guard and other available troops were rushed to the ford where they saw dozens of eagles circling menacingly. Shortly thereafter, nearly 70,000 raucous ravens arrived circling high above the Sassanid forces. As in many cultures, ravens were considered harbingers of death and disaster. As the sun set they watched in disbelief as thousands of cavalry troops calmly arrived on the other side of the river to set up their camp. The banners and flags of the Raven Raiders had never been seen. Sassanid riders were dispatched to rush the still gathering Sassanid army.

The Raven Raiders had smashed through all the troops, skirmishers and scouts the Sassanids had deployed as irresistibly as storm waves crashing against the beaches. The ravens and eagles flying overhead easily spotted and harassed the terrified troops. Night patrols by the wolves and tigers smelled out every soldier and scout hiding or trying to spy.

The Raven Raiders camped within sight of the ford, the size of the encampment, the howls of the wolves and roars of the tigers intimidated the Sassanid warriors. As night fell the Sassanids couldn't understand why so many strange wagons were taking up positions on the west bank of the ford.

Shortly before dawn Yazdegerd II came out to survey his foes and encourage his troops. The size of the Raven Raider encampment was unnerving. As the sun rose 70,000 ravens took flight from the camp darkening the sky over the terrified Sassanid troops. After fifteen minutes the ravens suddenly parted clearing the sky.

A lone obviously young female rider rode into the river with a large pink banner emblazoned with a raven and a green skeleton. The rider stopped mid stream. Behind the rider 70,000 warriors with their banners flying lined the west bank. The sight was intimidating.

“I am Fiach Corvo. I am the founder of the Clan Corvo, the Corvo Christian Church, the Corvus Scriptorium, Corvus Shipping, Corvo University and am the founder and commander of the Raven Raiders. In addition, I am the Demon Slayer. I have led this small portion of my troops to conquer the Sassanid Empire. I call on you to lay down your arms and submit to the Clan Corvo.”

“You are a delusional fool,” Yazdegerd II replied with disdain. “The Demon Slayer is a myth! You are but a child and a female at that! Your elders abuse you!”

Fiach laughed, jammed the shaft of her banner into the mud of the river bottom, drew her sword and knife, and charged towards the Emperor. The Emperor's body guard swarmed in front of their Emperor. Just before reaching the shore, Fiach leapt off her horse and charged into the mounted imperial guard. Horses squealed and reared, warriors yelled and fell. Fiach slipped between the wildly milling horses while striking the riders. Chaos ruled as men died before they could see who they were fighting. Suddenly Yazdegerd II yelled as his horse reared. The saddle with the emperor slipped off the horse since the straps had been sliced.

A moment later the blood covered Fiach waded into the river after emerging from the maelstrom of imperial guards. "I am the Demon Slayer! Emperor Yazdegerd, I could have killed you instead of just cutting the straps on your saddle. Look around you! I killed 25 of your guards. We will kill all who resist so drop your weapons and live!"

Yazdegerd II was pulled up onto a horse. "Archers!" the humiliated emperor bellowed. "Kill the fool!"

Several hundred archers drew their weapons and fired. Arrows hurtled toward Fiach. Rather than duck she swung her sword and knife in a dizzying pattern above her easily parrying the arrows. The Sassanid warriors were clearly stunned.

"Fools," Fiach bellowed as a second barrage of arrows headed toward her. This time Fiach merely danced amongst the falling arrows. Several struck her but she laughed at the wounds. There were dozens of arrows in Fiach's back and torso.

Her horse trotted through the water to her. Fiach swung up onto the horse's back then rode up and down the middle of the river letting the shocked Sassanids see the dozens of arrows protruding from her. "I AM THE DEMON SLAYER! I CAN NOT BE KILLED. YAZDEGERD, THE DEATH OF YOUR CITIZENS IS ON YOUR SHOULDERS. UNLESS YOU SURRENDER WE WILL DESTROY YOU!" Fiach pulled her banner from where it had been jammed into the river bed, dismissively turned her back to the stunned Sassanids and rode towards the Raven Raiders.

As she reached the Raven Raiders, they all moved back from the shore revealing the weird wagons. Instantly thunderously loud booms echoed from the wagons lined up on the west side of the Tigris River as great clouds of smoke flew across the flowing water. Seconds later explosions and swirling choking black clouds occurred in the air over the waiting Sassanid troops, spitting death and destruction onto their panicking ranks. The screams began as the grim reaper began harvesting the stunned soldiers who had never experienced anything like that.

The 405 cannons of the 45 Raven Raider brigades continued their cannonade. The smoke and noise shook the river valley and could be easily heard in the capital. The best soldiers in the Sassanid empire were cut down by the bombardment. Stunned and terrified, they broke and ran, sweeping Yazdegerd II and his elite bodyguards in the disorganized rout. As soon as the raven overwatch reported the rout, the range was increased and brigade after brigade of Raven Raiders began crossing the Tigris with no significant resistance.

By the time they came up on the east bank only a handful of stunned Sassanid soldiers remained staggering about in the unprecedented carnage and they were quickly overwhelmed. The Raven Raiders reformed and leisurely followed the fleeing Sassanids as the ravens and eagles attacked adding to the chaos of the rout. The artillery was floated across the Tigris. By nightfall the III and IV Corps were across with their artillery. III and IV Corps advanced to Ctesipon, surrounding the walled city where Yazdegerd II and his troops hid behind the thick mud brick walls. The V Corps moved down the west bank to take up positions opposite the city with their artillery aimed to take out the river walls, boats and docks.

After returning to the western shore Fiach sought out the healers to remove the many arrows. The wounds immediately began healing. Just because she healed didn’t mean the injuries weren’t painful. In fact, they hurt like hell. While she learned to embrace the pain and use the adrenalin it produced to keep her strong and moving, she always hated being hurt. It took a tremendous effort to keep from showing the pain. Now that the forces involved were growing larger, the impact of the fear the Demon Slayer generated was lessening. Her abilities were simply too far from known reality to have the impact it had inside the Roman Realms. She decided it was time to step back from direct involvement in the fighting and assume the full time leadership role of the Clan Corvo. The Raven Raiders were more than capable of handling the fighting.

In the morning the Raven Raiders were arrayed for battle. Fiach approached the main gate. "Emperor Yazdegard, I'll give you another chance to save the lives of your warriors and citizens. You can not win this fight. Surrender now and save further bloodshed."

Although stunned by what happened the day before, Yazdegerd II didn’t understand what he was facing and felt he could hold the city until the rest of the troops he’d summoned arrived so he arrogantly refused the offer. The Sassanid soldiers and archers manned the walls waiting for the bloody assault with boiling oil and water ready to pour upon the hapless enemies who would try to scale their mighty walls. To their shock the attack they expected did not happen.

Instead Fiach ordered the deployed artillery to opened fire. Cannonballs easily smashed the massive mud brick walls. From across the river shells destroyed the boats and docks as well as smashed holes in the smaller river side walls. Within half an hour cannister shot easily cleared the walls of defenders while the cannon balls made a dozen breeches in the wall. The firing ceased and 30,000 ravens swarmed over the city surveying the damage.

Fiach approached the now battered walls. “Once again you have seen our power and strength. I will not waste the lives of the Raven Raiders in assaulting the walls. We can destroy the entire city and all within by continuing to bombard you with our artillery. Once more I offer to accept the surrender of the city and all inside. If you are too stubborn or stupid to accept the offer, I ask for the sake of your citizens to at least allow the civilians to escape the coming carnage.”

Those in the city were terrified. The noise, smoke and destruction was horrendous. The ravens flying overhead seriously added to the terror. The common people were ready to surrender as were many of the warriors. Still Yazdegerd II refused to surrender. Unfortunately they all feared the Emperor too much to flee.

The cannonade resumed for an hour, with many shells now flying into the city to destroy the palace and public buildings. Dozens of fires started. When the bombardment ceased, panicked civilians and warriors broke and fled the hell their city had become through the breaches in the city walls. The Raven Raiders separated the civilians from the soldiers and the upper class elite from both groups.

The ravens returned scouring the city. By questioning those who fled the battered burning city, Fiach determined most of the common people had fled as well as 3/4 of the warriors. Rather than continue the wholesale bombardment of the city, she had dismounted Raven Raiders accompanied by wolves and tigers cautiously enter the city with the shorter cannons. The animals indicated the locations of soldiers and terrified citizens who were asked to surrender. If they refused, one cannonball was fired into their location. Once again they were asked to surrender. If they still refused, their place of refuge was reduced to rumble. By night the partially destroyed city was in Raven Raider hands. No one escaped. Yazdegerd II and most of his family died.

Unaware of the destruction of the capital and death of the emperor, over the next few days all the summoned Sassanid reinforcement troops were spotted as they approached by the eagle and raven overwatch. Every unit was surrounded and easily ambushed by the Raven Raiders. None escaped. The Sassanid Empire ceased to exist.

By the start of April the III Corps moved north securing Mosul, Erbil, Tabriz, Azerbaijan, Baku and the Iranian coast of the Caspian Sea. The IV Corps moved on to secure Tehran, Isfahan, Gorgan, Mashhad, Birjand and northern Iran. The V Corps secured Shiraz, Kirman, Zahedan, Bander Abbas and southern Iran.

On April 1, 457 the rest of the Clan Corvo Armies advanced. Army Group D moved north from Britain to secure Caledonia. The Bazram fleet took I Corps north to land at Wick taking the far north before moving south towards Inverness. II Corps landed at Inverness headed east around the coast taking Aberdeen, Dundee, Perth and Edinburgh. III Corps landed at Glasgow then headed north through the highlands. IV Corps marched north from Hadrian’s wall to Glasgow and Edinburgh. V Corps remained in Britain keeping the peace. The Corvus Fleet from Ireland sailed up the west coast of Scotland securing every Loch.

Army Group E crossed the Rhine to Antwerp. I Corps marched along the North Sea into the Jutland Peninsula and the Danish islands into southern Sweden taking the Anglos, Saxons, Jutes, Danes and Swedes and the cities of Bremen, Hamburg, Lubeck, Keil, Copenhagen and Malmo. II Corps moved along the south coast of the Baltic Sea as far as Kalingrad taking Rostock, Szczecin, Bygdoszcz, Gadansk, Kalingrad and Bialystok. III Corps moved across north Germany and Poland taking Essen, Dortman, Hanover, Leipzig, Berlin, Dresden, Poznan, Worclaw, Lodz, Warsaw and Lublin. IV Corps moved across central Germany, Czechia and southern Poland taking Frankfurt, Stuttgart, Nuremburg, Prague, Ostrava and Krakow. V Corps moved through southern Germany, northern Austria, Slovakia and northern Hungary taking Munich, Vienna, Bratislava, Budapest and Kosice. The Germanic and other tribes were too disorganized and depleted from decades of fighting each other, Rome and the Huns to offer meaningful resistance.

After Attila's death in 453, the Hunnic Empire, much like emperor succession in the Roman Empire, fell into internal bloody brutal infighting as different factions sought to assume the leadership role Attila had created. The infighting Huns tore themselves to pieces. The many subjugated vassal Germanic tribes: Goths, Gepids, Rugi, Suavi, Alani and Heruli saw their opportunity to break free of the Hun domination. At the Battle of Nedao in 454 a coalition of Germanic tribes successfully broke free of the Hunnic authority. The Germanic tribes then began pushing each other as each sought to claim land to establish their own kingdom while the Hunnic federation devolved into bitter rivalry. {Historically the Huns faded away after a final battle in 469 being absorbed into other peoples.}

Army Group C moved east along the Danube heading into the what remained of the Huns. Because of their splintering and the fear of facing the Raven Raiders in combat as well as the knowledge that the Clan Corvo treated those they conquered well by incorporating them into the Clan Corvo, they offered only token resistance. The Clan Corvo forces easily rolled over all opposition. I and II Corps took southern Austria and southern Hungary smashing the remnants of the Huns taking Graz and Szeged. III and IV Corps swept through Slovenia, northern Croatia, northern Serbia and into northern Romania taking Zagreb, Belgrade, Timisoara and Cluj-Napoca. V Corps swept through southern Croatia, Bosnia, Montenegro, Kosovo, southern Serbia, northern Bulgaria and southern Romania taking Sarajevo, Sophia, Bucharest and Varna on the Black Sea.

Army Group A moved across the Adriatic Sea. I Corp took Albania, Macedonia, Thessalonika and southern Bulgaria taking Tirana, Skopje Ckonje, Kavala, Plovdiv and Burgas. II Corps took Greece. III, IV and V Corps swept into European Turkey laying siege to Constantinople. The massive double stone walls, tall towers, and imposing gates were intimidating to any who contemplated attacking the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire. Emperor Marcian was beside himself. None of the federated tribes answered his desperate call for mercenaries. Those that bothered to answer his summons told him they needed all their forces to defend against the Raven Raiders who were advancing on all fronts. The lack of follow up news unnerved the entire city. Near the end of April a few battered remnants of the Roman Danube forces stumbled into the city. At the end of April the III, IV, and V Corps of Army Group A reached Constantinople cutting them off from the outside world, including the aqueducts. Rationing of food and water began as the siege locked down the city.

Army Group B landed in southern Turkey at Mersin. I Corps headed northeast taking Adana, Gaziantep, Sivas, Malatya, Mardin, Van, Erzurum and Kars. II Corps swept east along the coast of the Aegean Sea taking Antayla, Marmaris, Bodrum, Denizli, Izmir, Canakkale and the Asian side of the Dardenelles. III Corps drove north taking Afyonkarahisar, Eskisehir, Bursa, Sakayra, Gebse and the Asian side of the Sea of Marmara and the Bosporus Strait opposite Constantinople and the Turkish Asian coast of the Black Sea. IV Corps swung south relieving the II Corps of Army Group F in Palestine. V Corps swung southeast relieving the III Corps of Army Group F and taking Armenia and Georgia on their way to Azerbaijan including the cities of Tbilisa and Baku as well as the southeast coast of the Caspian Sea.

The relieved III Corps of Army Group F moved through the IV Corps headed around the south of the Caspian Sea then north sweeping through the former Sassanid held area of Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan and Tajikistan including the cities of Ashbagat, Samarkand Tashkent, and Dushanbe up to the great salt marshes of Öli Qoltyq Sory off the eastern shore of the Caspian Sea by the town of Beyneu then east to the southern shores of the Aral Sea. The relieved II Corps of the Army Group F headed south and east pushing through the V Corps to take Pakistan and Afghanistan. These Corps thus secured the last disintegrating vestiges of the defunct Sassanid Empire.

Meanwhile the Corvus Shipping Fleet swept through the Dardanelles and Bosporus into the Black Sea destroying what little remained of the Roman Fleet as well as the numerous pirates plaguing the Black Sea. All caravels were equipped with 3 cannons, long barrel units on the quarterdeck and forecastle with a mobile short barrel cannon in the central deck. The 360 ton caravels were equipped with an additional 3 long barrel cannons on the top deck. Over 100 of the large ships took up station in the The Sea of Marmara, the Bosporus and the Golden Horn outside Constantinople blockading and shutting down the ports of the capital of the Eastern Roman Empire as well as utterly severing all contact with the crumbling Eastern Roman areas of Anatolia.

The fleet also took Army Group G past Constantinople through the Black Sea. The I and II Corps landed at the Dnieper River. I Corps moved into the western Ukraine taking the north shore of the Black Sea into Moldavia and swinging west along the banks of the Dnieper River taking the cities of Kyiv, Kryvyi Rih, Zaporizhzhia, Odesa and Lviv linking with Army Group C. II Corps swept up the east bank of the Dnieper River taking eastern Ukraine and Crimea as well as the cities of Sevastopol, Mariupol, Donetsk, Luhansk, Dnipro, Poltava and Kharkiv.

The fleet took the rest of Army Group F into the Sea of Azov. The III Corps moved up the Don River taking Rostov-on Don, then on to the Volga River taking Volgograd, Saratov and west to Voronezh. IV Corps headed down the east coast of the Black Sea taking Krasnodor linking with Army Group F and taking all of the western and northern shores of the Caspian Sea and the towns of Astrakhan on the Volga River and Atyrau and Uralsk on the Ural River. V Corps took the Kazakhstan provinces of West Kazakhstan, South Kazakhstan, Atyrau, Aktobe, Kyzylorda and Mangystau thus surrounding the Aral Sea while linking with the Army Group F.

Fiach arrived at Constantinople to assess the situation. A peaceful solution to the siege looked elusive. Prisoners from the overrun legions and cities were allowed to enter the city bringing dire news of the utter defeats. A wounded Sassanid general delivered the news the Sassanid Empire had fallen to the Raven Raiders. At the end of May, Fiach approached the walls.

"Emperor Marcian and the people of Constantinople, hear me. I am Fiach Corvo, head of the Clan Corvo, the leader of Corvoian Christianity, Commander of the Raven Raiders and the Demon Slayer. You are the last remnant of the Roman Empire. The Clan Corvo has conquered every part of the Roman Empire. We have also done what the Roman Empire failed to do for over 400 years, we conquered the Sassanid Empire. We have taken the lands around the Black Sea and the territory east of the Rhine that Rome could not take. We have taken all of Africa 1900 miles south of Alexandria. We have taken all the lands taken by Alexander the Great. The Clan Corvo does not enslave those it conquers but incorporates conquered people into the Clan. Only those who refuse to join us or criminals are enslaved and even then they have the chance earn their freedom. No one will be coming to relieve the siege. There is no escape and the city will fall. Unfortunately we do not want to wait to starve you out. We give you until dawn tomorrow to surrender. If you refuse we will destroy the walls." With that said she returned to the Raven Raider lines.

The next day the 405 cannons of the 15 divisions were in position to begin battering the gates and towers as the fleet readied their artillery pieces. Fiach stepped forward asking for the surrender of the city. Emperor Marcian was too stubborn to face reality setting the last remnant of the Roman Empire up for a tragic and tremendous fall.

When the offer to accept the surrender of Constantinople was refused Fiach stepped back and signaled the barrage to begin. The nearest battery opened fire. The thundering crash echoed across the city promptly followed by the other batteries opening fire with the hundreds of ships doing the same. The city was surrounded by continuous explosions. Cannonballs smashed into the stone and bricks of the walls and gates. Smoke quickly blanketed the area between the batteries and the walls. Chunks of wall fell with nearly every impact. Many targeted towers crumbled into rubble.

After an hour the thunder stopped. It took 15 minutes for the smoke and dust to clear. The gates were reduced to piles of rubble as were the seawalls. Everyone in the city was terrified. Once again Fiach asked for the city to surrender. When it was refused, the bombardment continued, only this time 5 of the 9 cannons in each battery fired explosive shells over the walls into the city as did 3 of the 6 cannons on the ships. The explosions wrought havoc on the city as buildings were knocked apart and fires started. The cannons still firing at the wall raised their aim to target the second wall of the dual walls.

After another hour the batteries fell silent. Numerous fires were burning throughout the city. This time the smoke and dust of the barrage combined with the smoke, soot and ash of the city wide fires. A trickle of desperate filthy people began emerging, scrambling down the rubble. The stunned soldiers who had been guarding the now virtually useless walls joined the exodus. The Raven Raiders rounded everyone up. The injured were tended to and the soldiers separated from the civilians. Once those remaining on the shattered walls saw their comrades being treated well, most threw down their weapons, clambered down the rubble and surrendered. Nearly an hour later an officer from Marcian's bodyguard emerged with the bedraggled remnants of the Imperial bodyguard who promptly laid down their weapons and surrendered. They reported Emperor Marcian and his generals had taken their lives.

The Raven Raiders organized the surrendered citizens into fire fighting brigades. Ravens delivered messages to the troops who had blocked the aqueducts to let the water flow. It took 2 days to extinguish the fires.

Army Group C relieved Army Group A. Army Group A took ship to cross the Black Sea to assume control of the Ukraine and Crimea allowing the I and II Corps of Army Group G to move east to reinforce the rest of their Army.

Army Group A secured the northern border of Ukraine while Army Group G secured their eastern borders against intrusion. The Saragurs, Sabirs, and Onugurs; Eurasian Oghur-Turkic nomadic tribes originating from Western Siberia and the Kazakh steppes, were slowly migrating west pressuring the Huns west. Army Groups H and J consolidated the areas they'd taken the previous years. There was still more to conquer but that would wait until the next year.

The next year, in May of 458 Army Group E moved north linking with Bazram while taking Norway, Sweden, Finland, Murmansk Oblast, Karelia, Leningrad Oblast, St. Petersburg, Estonia, Latvia, Arkhangelsk Oblast, Novgorod Oblast, Pskov Oblast and Tver Oblast taking the rest of northern European Russia to the Ural Mountains. Army Group C moved north and east from Poland taking Lithuania, Belarus, and the rest of the central portion of European Russia to the Ural Mountains. Army Group A moved east from Ukraine to take the southern portion of Russia to the Ural Mountains. Army Group J expanded Senegal by spreading southeast into Nigeria, Cameroon & the Central African Republic. Army Group H swept through the horn of Africa taking South Sudan, Eritrea, Ethiopia and Somalia.

Fiach then had the Raven Raiders push the eastern European border over the Ural Mountains to the Kara Sea inside the Arctic Circle, then following the west bank of Obskaya Guba Bay, the Ob River, the Irtysh River and the Tobol River to the village of Prirechnyy {GM 51.408308, 61.500122} on the Russia/Kasakhstan border; then along the east border of Kazakhstan provinces of Aktobe, Kyzylorda, and South Kazakhstan; the east border of Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan to the Arabian Sea.

They ran into stiff resistance in the mountains of east Tajikistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan. A native peoples called the Hephthalites, were a tribal confederation and included both nomadic and settled urban communities. They were born and raised in the rugged mountains. The warlords worked together but had no overall chain of command. The Hephthalites had been pushing west against the Sassanids and when they collapsed the Hephthalites pushed west to slam head on against the Raven Raiders. Their fighting was different, they used hit and run tactics using the mountains to move and attack, then melt away. Due to the raven/eagle overwatch the success they'd enjoyed against the Sassanids was not duplicated. They quickly realized the birds were scouting for the Raven Raiders. In addition the wolves and tigers proved even better at maneuvering in the steep mountains than they were. Units of Raven Raiders with raven/eagle overwatch and wolf/tiger support were able to cut off, isolate and capture or wipeout the Hephthalite raiders. They drove the remaining surprised Hephthalites back but had not defeated them. They would eventually have to be assimilated.

Meanwhile Fiach had her people from the Corvus Scriptorium Constantinople office, Marzab, go through the government and religious documents to preserve them as well as make copies of those that might be important. The originals were packed and sent back to Barmaz. The same was done in the fallen Sassanid Empire.

The open combat portion of Phase 1 of Operation Harmony was completed. Now came the tidying up of the chaos of combat and the assimilation of the conquered peoples into the Clan Corvo.

Research and experiments continued at Corvo University where they found additional uses for gunpowder. Mining was a primary use. Hardened steel drills were hammered into rock forming a grid of holes. The holes were packed with black powder and set off shattering the rock which could then be dug out. The depth and spacing of the holes as well as the charge were dependant upon what type of rock they were tunneling through or excavating. Once they'd mastered reasonable expertise, they began utilizing it in mining and building infrastructure.

Champery was built on the lower southern slopes of the mountain Croiz de Culet. Corvo University and the main location of Corvus Scriptorium were located in Champery. Their shared library was overfilled so they used small black powder to excavate tunnels into the mountain to use as library stacks.

The excavated roughly arched tunnels were 18 feet wide and high, tunnels were arched on top with the side walls ending in 18 inch wide and deep trenches I foot from the rock face. The floor tapered slightly from a high center into the trenches. Heavy timbers were set in place to support the tunnel. The trenches were filled with tamped down fist sized rocks and the floor was covered with 6 inches of tamped down rocks half that size. Then 75 feet from the tunnel face the timbers were removed for 12 feet. Working quickly, a thick fabric was laid tamped the rocks. Iron bars 1/2 inch thick were woven into a large open weave box like internal reinforcing frame up the walls and over the arched top. Wooden forms/frames were then built centering the on the tunnel to create a space 12 feet wide by 12 1/2 feet high in the center enclosing the iron bar boxes creating iron bar reinforced side walls 3 feet thick with the center being an iron bar reinforced arch 5 1/2 feet thick connecting the walls. Roman pioneered hydraulic cement was forced behind the forms filling the reinforced open iron bar to seal the tunnels. The next day the wooden forms were removed. A wire mesh was placed atop the floor and 6 inches of hydraulic concrete poured as a finished floor. The resultant space was a 12 feet wide by 12 feet tall in the arched center. The arches began 8 feet up the walls. The hydraulic cement created a water tight space while the stones in the side trenches and on the floor allowed under the cement funneled any water percolating through the stone to flow away.

With numerous tunnels and levels being excavated, a minimum 30 feet space was maintained between them with the tunnels of each level vertically stacked so uninterrupted columns of stone were maintained. Blasting was done with small charges with the air refreshed before entering. The hydraulic cement casing was not done in tunnels being currently excavated. A tunnel was dug 75 feet beyond the hydraulic cement casing then stopped as the blasting and excavating crews crew moved to another tunnel. When the casing was done the cement floor was covered with a temporary wooden floor and doors were constructed to keep dust from blasting trapped. At that point the hydraulic cement casing crew moved to a recently excavated tunnel while the excavating crew returned to dig further. Thus the crews leapfrogged around each other.

The biggest issues in the conquered territories were religion and public administration. The Clan Corvo did their best to limit the interaction of Church and State to avoid becoming an autocratic theocracy as had befallen Alexandria, Rome and Constantinople. Because of her experiences, Fiach believed that all faiths were at least partially valid and that no faith was fully valid since it was impossible for a humananity to know all aspects of a living, changing God. This applied even to Corvoian Christianity. The Corvoian Church version of Christianity and it's morality was the state empathized faith, but participation/allegiance was not mandatory. The followers of Judaism and so called pagan faiths were allowed to continue practicing their faith. Those who professed no faith, agnostics, were also allowed to do so. However like the non Covoian Christian priests, the Rabbis, pagan priests and theologians were removed to Barmaz. Faith studies and research was only to be done at the Divinity School of Corvus University. All faith/religious writings in areas being assimilated were gathered and sent to the main Corvus Scriptorium Library in Champery. This allowed comparative studies amongst all faiths. It was also required that priests and theologians of all faiths study there which made sure they all received a basic understanding of the wide variety of religions.

The removed Christian priests, rabbis, pagan priests and theologians were treated well and respected if they maintained a civil dialog. They were asked to record their beliefs and theology, having scribes/translators assigned to insure their thoughts were correctly understood. The Divinity school demanded religious tolerance and banned all claims of and attempts at establishing religious exclusivity. The existence of a supreme entity that created the universe meant that humans could not possibly understand the reasoning or scope of the living God. The various faiths and religions grew out of the piecemeal understanding of God's omnipotence. All had valid points just as all had invalid points. The goal was to assimilate all belief systems into a cohesive framework of Godhood. Unfortunately, the more they learned the more they realized it could not happen unless forced, which Fiach refused to do. She did not want Corvoian Christianity to become the bully Roman Christianity had been moving towards.

Corvoian Christianity stressed helping one's fellow humans and living in peace and humility while honoring creation and the creator. In the Divinity School of Corvus University, faith and religion were openly discussed and debated. Fiach insisted faith was the key because it was God sharing insights with man allowing the faith to change with the times thus remaining valid. Religion invariably fell into mankind attempting to tame and control God by creating rules and laws that quickly became inflexible and often negated or destroyed the original faith. It was understood some aspects of the various faiths could not merge into a cohesive all encompassing whole. Fiach, the foremost scholar on faiths and religions, could not in good conscious declare any faiths invalid. All faiths would be allowed to be practiced with the understanding that all other faiths had to be at the very least tolerated.

All priests of all faiths took comparative religion courses to encourage acceptance and inclusion. One faith condemning or even just demeaning another faith was forbidden and punishable, however intelligent discussions were allowed and even encouraged. Priests were encouraged to respectfully minister to those of other faiths in times of crises or need when a priest of a particular faith was unavailable. More importantly women were brought into the priesthood. Fiach set goals that 60% of those studying for the priesthood would be women. Just as important was that anyone studying for whatever priesthood had to demonstrate they believed in and practiced gender neutral faith. Any who promoted one gender over the other was shunted into a course of gender neutrality. Those that failed were expelled.

Teachings and the practice of male superiority were rooted out of all facets of Corvoian life. All priests were encouraged to marry into the peoples they served and raise families. Another tenet was that gender roles were flexible allowing people to express their personal inner truth without fear of condemnation and persecution. Same sex marriages were allowed. Transsexuality was validated. Polygamy was allowed as long as spouses were not coerced into the relationships and the family could support itself. Child marriages were forbidden. The age of marriage was firmly set at 16. In addition, the age of consent for sexual relations was set at 16. The crime of pedophilia mandated a sentence of life enslavement after surgical desexing.

As was done since the first year of Operation Harmony, all priests from all faiths were brought back to Corvo University to record their knowledge and insights as well as for re-education. Those who would not adjust but were peaceful could go to monasteries or simply abandon priesthood for normal citizenship. Those who were belligerent were enslaved and set to hard labor on public works until they recanted. Corvo University educated priests followed behind the Raven Raiders to replace the removed priests of every faith to provide continuity in the newly conquered areas. Initially these priests were primarily Corvoian Christians pledged to universal faith acceptance. Priests of any faith who completed the Corvo University Courses were sent to areas where their faiths existed, replacing the Corvoian priests.

Since the start of Operation Harmony, troublemakers, those who resisted assimilating into the Clan Corvo were quickly plucked out of the general population. They were questioned and evaluated by the Raven Raiders then passed into the custody of the Corvoian clergy and administrators. Some were convinced to accept becoming Corvoians, but most, especially the upper level clergy, senators, kings, princes and other nobles and elites of Rome, the various Germanic peoples, the Berbers, and other African peoples as well as the Sassanid and their Middle East allies and other higher class people who arrogantly refused to accept their loss of status, were enslaved. Those malcontents were put on public works programs digging/building dams, canals and aqueducts as well as building roads and bridges throughout conquered areas. After a few months of hard labor, most knuckled down and cooperated, served their 3 years of slavery and were released into Corvoian society. However there were thousands who were hard headed. They were taken east with the hard headed monks and other religious fanatics from Egypt. The biggest public works program ever was begun using their forced labor. Nearly 175,000 slaves headed east to dig canals, cut roads through the western Asian mountains and build bridges and retaining walls. Explosives were used where appropriate. Setting and use of the explosives was done by Pathfinders who accompanied and guarded the slaves.

With the combat of Phase 1 of Operation Harmony completed by 458, the people in the conquered areas were assimilating and the construction of the needed infrastructure commenced. Transportation of supplies was often difficult. Ships carried heavier loads further with less labor. Fiach set up camps along a line up the Don River then up the Manych River then down into the Caspian Sea. They began to dig a massive 300 feet wide by 70 feet deep 365 mile long canal to connect the Sea of Azov with the Caspian Sea. The Caspian Sea was in a natural depression, the height of the land separating the seas was 89 feet. The canal would be excavated down so the completed water level would be at sea level, the level of the Sea of Azov. Black powder would be used to break up the rock. The Caspian Sea had no outlet and fluctuated between 65 to 85 feet below oceanic sea level which would require 8 locks to get down to the surface. Flat areas 100 feet wide on either side of the canal would support roads as well as villages. The fresh water canal would also function as an irrigation canal for the Caspian Sea side. Rail lines were laid along the route of the canal. Steam engines pulled railway wagons easily 20 times larger than the biggest horse drawn wagons. Steam powered shovels with bucket scoops lifted the explosively loosened rock and soil, dropping it into railcars. The steam engines then pulled the excavated debris away, using it as fill wherever needed

Since the dinner with Pope Leo in Barmaz, Raben had decided to shelve his male side since males were associated with autocratic rule, religious arrogance and war. Thus Fiach became the primary face of the Clan Corvo. Virtually all tribes and nations were led by men. Most men in leadership positions were concerned with acquiring power and wealth, be it from government, military, business or religion. Fiach practiced and firmly believed that government, religion and the military were to serve the people. When unchecked, unfortunately, males repeatedly devolved to feel that the people were made to serve the government, religion and military, namely them. She realized that male domination had to end to insure the government, religion and military always served the people.

In 461 Fiach stepped out of her hectic travels to return to her original farm, Barmaz, in the mountains to the third meadow level above her ‘ancestral’ home and still functioning hidden libraries on the middle meadows. The upper meadow was 75% pasture, 20% was tree covered steep slopes with the last 5% steep rockfall. Over a hundred sheep and goats dotted the early summer pastures. The Alpine flowers were in full bloom showcasing the beauty of nature. All kinds of flowers; primroses, heathers, gentians, daisies, bellflowers and buttercups were displaying their glory. Fiach climbed to the peak of Croix d' Increne {GM 46.151361, 6.816499}, which is 6033 feet high, located in the center of the north ridgetop overlooking the entire upper pasture as well as the farm of Barmaz on the central level. There she set up a tent to meditate in an effort to recenter herself. She was 300 years old yet she still looked like an underdeveloped prepubescent young teen. Physically she was still youthfully flexible with tremendous endurance. Mentally she sure didn't feel that young. The immaturity and impetuousness of youth had long ago been erased by often harsh worldly experience and the unfathomable mental strain of keeping the Clan Corvo on the path of peace and prosperity.

Fiach sat in front of the tent as the sun set over the majestic snow covered peaks of the Dents Blanches {the white teeth, a series of mountain peaks in the Chablais Alps on the Swiss-French border composed of several summits of which the Dent de Barme is the highest}. As the shadows of the peaks lengthened over the valley below, her relaxed mind wandered back to her mother, brothers and step-siblings and their families and how she’d brought them here starting the Clan Corvo. She chuckled at the irony, the day’s date was Monday, August 21, 461. It was exactly 258 years since her family first arrived at Barmaz, Sunday, August 21, 203. That meant August 21 was the anniversary of the founding of the Clan Corvo! Celebrating the founding of the Clan Corvo on August 21 would become a Clan wide world celebration of the peace and good will the Clan represented and fostered.

Fiach determined to have a simple 10 feet by 10 feet one room stone cabin built on the peak. It would be her personal spiritual retreat where she could commune with nature at the very location the Clan Corvo began, the farmstead at Barmaz. Here, alone in the mountains, she could center herself. It would be a relaxing place to ponder the past and plan the future.

Then unbidden, Fiach’s thoughts turned maudlin. Away from the hubbub of political and religious concerns, her thoughts turned to those she watched age and die. Tears rolled down her cheeks as she watched the last rays of the sunset. It reminded her of that day when she hugged her pain wracked crucified foster mother as the poison she’d administer at the dying woman’s request eased her passing. The old Ianuarian wanted to die watching the sun set from her position nailed to the tree. It seemed ironic that a day later, the Curse Jesus passed on to Marcellus Longinus as he died crucified on the cross on Golgotha was transferred to her male persona, Raben, when he ended the ex-legionnaire’s unhappy and unwanted long life. Then came memories of the faces of her family, seeing them in their youth then watching as they morphed into old age. The grief hit her hard as she cried in her heartache. In her 300 years she watched thousands die. She’d killed 1037 people in combat of one form or another. As a healer she never wanted to kill, but in the heat of the moment the adrenalin of combat fueled a scary thrill to be wielding the power of death. Once the adrenalin rush faded, guilt swept in, but she had to push through to make the most of the situation. It was afterward, even to this very day, that she remembered each and every one out of guilt for taking a life. Knowing those deaths had been at least somewhat justified did little to ease the agony she felt when taking a life. As before when she sank into dark moods she thanked Ianuaria that she had not become inured to pain and anguish. The agony and guilt she felt told her she was still a loving and caring human. If she ever became numbed to such sorrows, it would be the time to end her life.

But until that point, if it ever came, it was her responsibility to guide the Clan Corvo to keep them centered on loving and caring for their neighbors. A strong part of that was to spread the lineage of Fiach/Raben Corvo to all the world giving them a single common past they knew connected them. As hoped, having the Raven Raiders, Pathfinders, teachers, administrators and priests take spouses from amongst the conquered peoples was already uniting the disparate tribes and clans mixing ethnicities and races to demonstrate they were all equal. Once they were all part of the same family, coupled with the morality of Corvoian Christianity being taught in schools and practiced by the administrators, she hoped there would be a universal peace.

That brought up another dilemma, the issue of maintaining the separation of church and state. Patrick had done well in Ireland spreading Corvo Christianity while honoring, recording and respecting the native druids. His techniques for balancing the disparate beliefs was being used as a template in other areas. His death in March reminded Fiach of the brevity of human life and her Curse of eternal youth. The schools taught faith courses without stressing or recommending a specific faith. Thankfully, all of the main religions emphasized a remarkably similar morality where loving your fellow humans was core. The faith classes stressed and taught universal morality. The students were encouraged to seek further knowledge of whatever aspect of faith appealed to them. This was doable because Corvo University Divinity Department had books going deeper into each of the major faiths as well as books on minor faiths. The books were divided into chapters, each chapter delving deeper into the faith than the previous. The reader could go as deep as they wished or stop at any point. The entire system was designed to create an acceptance, respect and universal tolerance of all faiths. No faith was deemed better than the others.

A sad smile filled Fiach’s face as darkness settled over the mountain revealing the stars in all their grandeur. Because her physical development stopped upon receiving the Curse, coupled with her tiny size at birth, she would never reach sexual maturity in either gender. That double whammy meant that Fiach was asexual as well as effectively sterile. Never would she parent a child. That was good in that she wouldn’t have to watch a child age and die while she remained unchanging. It had been tough enough watching her siblings, nephews and nieces age and die. Now her family WAS the Clan Corvo and she was the matriarch. That truth reinforced her resolve to bring the entire world into the peaceful existence of the Clan Corvo and to lovingly guide it. She understood there would be times when tough love would be needed but she was as prepared and determined to maintain peace and tranquility while encouraging the growth of knowledge and technology.

Then she reflected upon the status of the Clan Corvo. At the start of 461, there were 45,382,443 full members of the Clan Corvo with roughly another 60,000,000 people in the territories occupied by Operation Harmony in the last 5 years in the process of assimilating into the Clan. She estimated there were 250,000,000 people in the world. Fiach shook her head in disbelief that her original naive intent for the farm of Barmaz had been to provide a safe place for her siblings, nephews and nieces. But she could not let widows and orphans suffer so she began bringing them into the welcomeing embrace of the Clan Corvo. Her caring had exploded from that humble start into the Clan Corvo covering North and South America, Europe, 2/3 of Africa, the Middle East, and a hefty chunk west Asia, more than half the world. With a smile on her face, Fiach curled up in blankets under the stars easily falling asleep.

Fiach awoke with the sunrise making breakfast from the supplies she brought. Then as the sun rose into the sky, she mentally reviewed the completed military portion of Phase 1 of Operation Harmony. Fortunately, the fierce mystique of the Raven Raiders and the Demon Slayer had often been enough to shut down fighting after a brief skirmish. The wolves, tigers, eagles and ravens attached to the Raven Raiders added more layers of fear and awe. The back of resistance broke when they finally realized the ravens and eagles not only kept a sharp-eyed overwatch during the day, they were able to transmit their information to the Raven Raiders who were able to adjust their strategy on the fly. The wolves and tigers with their heightened senses served the same function at night although at much shorter distances. No one had ever been able to ambush or surprise the Raven Raiders. There also was the honest fact the Raven Raiders were fierce, extremely well trained warriors. They fought cohesively as units, squads, sections, troops, companies, battalions, brigades, divisions, corps and armies. The addition of black powder cannons as well as personal firearms enhanced their already top notch field performance.

The Germanic tribes, Roman troops, and the Sassanid warriors they faced crumbled in the face of artillery and rifle/musket fire. Walled cities and towns as well as forts were blasted into submission. During the 3 year campaign, the Raven Raiders had suffered minimal casualties. On average of a division of 6786 people, 36 {0.0053%} were casualties of which 9 {0.00133%} were fatal. Of the 250 divisions, 1,696,500 people committed, 9000 were wounded, 2250 fatally. At 5%, the casualties of the Roman troops, Germanic tribes, the Huns, the Berbers, the Sassanids as well as the others brought under the hegemony of the Clan Corvo that attempted to resist the Raven Raiders was 10 times higher than the Clan casualties but still much lower than the previous normal savage hand to hand fighting. Fiach understood a 3% casualty rate for 1 year with near 0% in succeeding years was far better than the much higher normal rates before the start of their assimilation. While she hated even those few deaths, they were considerably lower than those subjugated peoples had suffered due to the raiding and fighting between their various entities with resultant starvation and diseases. In a normal year pre Operation Harmony, the deaths from raiding/fighting/disease and starvation averaged around 15% to 25% of the populations of those areas in turmoil. The areas with heavier fighting/raiding casualties sometimes rose to 60% to 70%. Overall, the conquests and expansion saved far more lives than it cost.

The sanitation practices the Clan Corvo brought eliminated much disease and pestilence thus saving uncountable lives. The farming, crops and animal husbandry shared increased the food supply for all people while reducing their work load. The repressed, controlled, often subsistence level existance of the common people represented between 80% to 95% of the populations of the so called civilized peoples. The burden of supporting the wealthy overfed elite had been lifted from their bent shoulders. They had freedom to move into other occupations, to physically relocate, with adequate diets for the first time in generations. Their lives had drastically improved as did their life expectancy. For them assimilation into the Clan Corvo undoubtedly improved their lives.

It was only the elite, those who had been leeches on the common people, that suffered under the conquest since most refused to accept giving up their unearned privileges which they took from the common people. Most had never engaged in physical labor thinking it was beneath them. Many could not handle the loss of status and wound up being enslaved. But even then the Clan did their best to keep families together. Family members not enslaved could move with those enslaved and live together. They were expected to work, often hired by the Corvoian overseers to cook, clean and launder for both sides of the camps. The slave camps were up to Corvoian sanitation standards. If they cooperated the slaves were treated well having adequate food, water, rest breaks and medical attention. Each evening they had daily lectures on what was expected of Clan Corvo members. They were also reminded that their 3 year term of slavery would not begin until the overseers felt their defiant and belligerent attitudes changed. Accompanying families could walk away from their pigheaded enslaved family member at any time to begin a new life.

By lunch Fiach had completed her ruminations. After striking the camp, she headed down the mountain to resume her duties, refreshed and ready to jump back into the fray.

The next 14 years passed quickly as the dwindling number of slaves and increasingly more hired workers continued the public works projects. The largest was the opening of the Azov-Caspian Sea Fresh Water Canal. The canal opened in 475, the 300th anniversary of Fiach/Raben achieving the Curse. The Raven Raiders along the Asian borders were kept strong. Trading was brisk across the border but any attempted incursions were ruthlessly crushed thanks to raven and eagle overwatch warnings of the advancing forces. All trading took place at border posts with non Corvoian peoples not allowed to travel deeper into Corvoian territory. However, the traders could plainly see the prosperity and peace of the Clan Corvo. Anyone who approached the border asking to settle inside the Clan territory were told they could do so only if they agreed to join the Clan. Many did so.

With the completion of the fresh water Caspian Sea Canal, a second canal was started from the Sea of Azov to the Caspian Sea. This would be a more ambitious project. This would start in the south in the marshy area of Ordynskiy with the goal of creating a lockless sea level canal to funnel salt water into the Caspian Sea to raise it’s water levels to equal that of the Oceans. This would increase the surface area and allow greater fishing and shipping. When completed it would take nearly a hundred years to raise the surface to ocean parity. At the same time another lockless canal for navigation and irrigation would be dug from the Volga River to the Aral Sea at a height of 175 feet above Sea Level. Locks would be constructed along the Volga River from the Caspian Sea to the 175 feet level to provide a ship route connecting the Aral Sea to the world’s oceans and seas. The diversion of the Volga from the Caspian Sea to the Aral sea could not begin until the sea water from the Sea of Azov could replace the diverted water. Aqueducts/tunnels would be constructed to move fresh irrigation water to the other side of the sea water canal.

Another new development was photography, starting with a process similar to daguerreotype. These early photos opened up a massive demand and market for personal photos as well as placing photos in books and newspapers. For the first time people could see exotic locals, animals and vegetation without visiting their habitats.

The Americas were settled with few independent peoples remaining. Roads and canals crossed the lands. Only remote areas in both continents had not been absorbed and they had no way to effectively resist assimilation when the Clan eventually approached. The North American west coast was bustling. Trading posts dotted the African coasts with large colonies established in South Africa. The old Pharaonic Canal between the Nile River and the Red Sea had been reopened so trade with India and even the East Indies was flourishing. Trading bases were established in India with Corvus Shipping vessels discovering Australia and trading with Indonesia, Indo-China and China. Corvus Shipping vessels had circumnavigated the globe and were colonizing the islands of the Pacific. The peoples of the conquered areas were drawn into and assimilated by the Clan Corvo. Fiach traveled widely visiting her greatly extended family, publicly appearing as Fiach all of the time to foster acceptance of gender variation and equality. As the years passed she developed an entourage of elite administrator students using her travels as a new Grand Tour to educate the youth on the need for and how to maintain and encourage peaceful coexistence and how assimilation was a generational process.

Corvus Shipping had established a major base and colony in eastern Australia at Brisbane. The location was selected because there were large forests and the land was suitable for farming. A shipyard was constructed to handle all manner of ship repair and construction. Moreton Bay was a large protected area and the Brisbane River provided tremendous docking. Large convoys left Egypt and the west coast of north America each year for the new colony on the island continent. The population had grown to 100,000 and farms were flourishing. The colony was growing each year as people from all over the Clan Corvo signed up for the adventure of settling a new world with only a small native subsistence population. The native aboriginal folk were invited to join the Clan Corvo. Some did and a trade network began. The Clan Corvo did their best to honor the sacred lands and traditions/beliefs of those who wanted to continue their centuries old life. Naturally those beliefs and traditions were thoroughly documented and included in the Corvo University Divinity courses.

As the people born before the Corvoian conquest died off, the younger generations only knew life in the Clan Corvo. Many of the youth eagerly sought to join the famous and highly respected Raven Raiders. The Raven Raiders who had participated in Phase 1 of operation harmony retired out of the service to settle with their new families homogenizing the Clan Corvo.

By the year 490, 32 years after the end of hostilities of Phase 1 of Operation Harmony, Fiach decided she could safely begin Phase 2. The Raven Raiders and Corvus Shipping vessels were armed with breech loading rifled cannons. Each Raven Raider battalion now had an attached artillery troop. All soldiers were equipped with bolt action rifles with an 8 round clip with an effective range of 1650 feet and a 6 shot single action revolver with an effective range of 150 feet making the deadliest fighting force in existence even more effective.

In the year 490, Fiach began the phase 2 of Operation Harmony. In Africa, 4 Army Groups of Raven Raiders moved north out of the South African colonies. Another 4 Army Groups launched from the southern boundary of Corvoian Africa. In Madagascar 1 Army Group landed. What little native opposition that arose was simply obliterated and the tribes subdued and assimilated. By 492 all of Africa and Madagascar were part of the Clan Corvo.

In addition, 9 Raven Raider Army Groups moved east. Fiach accompanied the 1 army that moved through Siberia. The native people mostly lived peaceful nomadic or semi nomadic lives living primarily in yurt style homes. Hunting and reindeer herding are their primary means of living with seasonal fishing. They used reindeer as a draft animal throughout the year enabling them to cover great distances. Primarily a hunter/gather society, they did a small bit of farming. They lived in small mobile villages to keep from overtaxing the land but maintained regular trade amongst their clans and tribes. They had no need for formal government in their clan-based social structure. Their faith was a shamanistic/animistic belief system which stressed respect for the land and its resources. They believed that objects, places and creatures all possess a distinct spiritual essence and that all things; animals, plants, rocks, rivers, weather systems, human handiwork and even words were animated and alive. Their shamans were naturally adept individuals who when young apprenticed with older shamans to learn the secrets and rituals of their faith. This included making and using hallucinogens to make contacts in the spirit world while in an altered state of consciousness. They believed in totems and animal spirit guides to help humans navigate the dangerous world. Signs and portents were taken extremely seriously.

The Siberian natives were highly suspicious of all travelers, especially when they arrived in large numbers. They had many experiences of heavily armed adventurers pillaging their settlements, killing, raping and kidnaping their populace. Because of their self sufficiency and remoteness, western knowledge of the natives was limited. Well in advance of the main Army group, Fiach accompanied a company of 242 Raven Raiders with 99 ravens and 3 wolves into the unexplored area. Fiach had 20 ravens, 2 wolves, an eagle and a tiger traveling with her. They took care to respect the land and all that was in it while using the ravens and eagle to map out and mark the easiest route. The birds reported the presence of natives discreetly following and watching them with the number growing each day. After 5 days Fiach slipped away armed with a bow and arrows and a knife accompanied by the tiger and 2 wolf while 30 ravens and the eagle flew overhead.

Fiach visited the camps the watchers used, learning their language and listening to their conversations. Based on what she learned she sent the birds to locate the villages, particularly the village of the clan headman. Fiach traveled to the village and slipped into the settlement. Utilizing her empathetic abilities she kept the village reindeer settled and the dogs quiet. She set up the largest kettle on the central hearth, added water, cut up potatoes and carrots from her pack, and added the diced meat of a Siberian musk deer she’d killed to make a hearty stew.

As the villagers awoke they stepped outside their yurts to find an unknown preteen girl smiling at them as she sat by the central village hearth surrounded by the village dogs. The kettle suspended over the cooking fire was steaming and a pleasant mouth watering aroma filled the village. Seeing the dogs placidly lying around the strange young girl unnerved them since the dogs were quite effective hunting and guard dogs. That the dogs hadn’t barked made them wonder about the mysterious girl. After arming themselves they cautiously looked around to see if there were any other surprises as they roused the other residents.

“I come in peace to talk with your elders and shamans,” the girl declared in their language as she used her empathetic abilities to broadcast serenity and peace. “I have come to prepare you for major changes in your way of life.”

An old man wearing many amulets, charms and talismans spoke. “Are you an evil spirit?”

“No, I am not an evil spirit although there are those who would disagree,” the girl replied as the village cautiously came to life. “When provoked, I am quite deadly. If I wished you harm I could have killed everyone while you slept. To prove this, I placed a green twig from an evergreen tree beneath your sleeping furs and blankets. Have someone from every yurt check and bring them forth.”

It was the women who returned to the yurts, all quickly returning with the small single stem evergreen boughs they found beneath their sleeping places. Needless to say that caused a great deal of consternation since obviously the girl had entered every yurt, placed a bough beneath each sleeping person, and slipped out without disturbing anyone.

“You could still be an evil spirit,” the old shaman declared. “You could have cast magic to keep us asleep.”

“Casting such powerful magic to effect everyone in the village would take a great deal of power and many hours of preparation,” the girl smiled. “I simply used my stealth skills, just as I did with your dogs and reindeer. You know charming animals is difficult, especially this many, but you see they come to me and trust me. Do you not trust their judgement of me?”

The old man nodded but was clearly cautious as he exchanged looks of concern with the rest of the villagers.

“I am Fiach Corvo,” she explained. “Please, come and eat while I talk, then I’ll answer your questions.”

The people posted guards as a precaution then gathered about the boiling stew. Fiach ladled a bowl for herself as the women stepped forward to check the stew.

“The stew contains deer meat,” Fiach explained. “It also contains a tuber cultivated on the other side of the world that my people have been sharing with other lands. You can easily grow it here and we will share it with you as well as many other crops and animals unknown to you. Come and eat your fill.”

The offer of food was considered proper courtesy and held sacred by the natives. Their world was one of subsistence living with little food to spare and starvation never far away. To have this strange girl prepare a hearty meal showed her good intentions. Still they were cautious but the aroma of the stew overcame their reticence. Once they tasted it, they dug in.

“My people are expanding into your territory, but we do not want to displace you,” Fiach began. “You know we are coming because you have sent scouts to spy on us. I’m sure they have reported we do our best to respect the land and take only the minimum we need and that we have wolves and ravens willingly working with us. It is our practice that we try to plant a new tree for each we chop down. We bring herds of cattle and flocks of sheep as well as captive birds to use for food so we do not hunt the animals you hunt. We bring new foods and ways of life so we will not be competing with you for food resources.”

"Instead of having your scouts spy on my people, we'd like to openly invite them into our camps. They can observe how we live and how we treat each other and our animals,” Fiach stated. “Your people can watch the power of our weapons so they can tell you it will be impossible to withstand us.”

“Our intent is to merge our peoples into one, as we have done with every people we have met,” Fiach continued. “We will teach you our ways while we learn your ways. When our peoples merged with others, we changed to adapt their ways while they adapted to our ways, we blended our peoples. We do NOT want to destroy your people but will preserve your knowledge and skills. We will honor and respect your spiritual beliefs as we share our beliefs with you. We want to acculturate our individual lifestyles into each other, hopefully peacefully with your cooperation. To be totally honest, we will expand into your territory whether or not you cooperate. You’ve noted our strange weapons, they can bring death at distances far greater than bows can reach.”

“My people are the Clan Corvo,” Fiach explained. “We started out as a family. As we grew and prospered, we tried our best to live in peace. Unfortunately others grew jealous of our wealth and prosperity so we had to defend ourselves. This went on for generations, as we defeated and absorbed an enemy, others appeared. We decided the only way to ensure peace was to eliminate the ability of others to fight. To do that we eliminated our differences by merging our peoples. We have conquer some peoples. We tried to kill as few as possible, especially women and children. We captured the vast majority of those peoples who fought us. After disarming them we then shared our knowledge with them while keeping their knowledge and history, merging their peoples into ours.”

The clan head and shaman were clearly concerned and apprehensive by what she said but let her continue.

“What I am about to say will be difficult to believe. Even though I look like a child, I am quite old. I am a skilled healer and a deadly warrior,” Fiach continued. “I am also the founder ond matriarch of the Clan Corvo. I have been Cursed by our God. It’s not an evil curse but it is difficult to live with. I received the curse when I was 14. I have not aged since then. I am immune to poisons and heal all wounds. If wounded severely enough, I can die, but my body will heal and I will come back to life. I am also 329 years old.”

That caused the men to grumble and scoff at her words. They knew it was impossible to be that old.

“I can also talk to the spirits of animals,” Fiach continued. “When I arrived last night I spoke to the reindeer and dogs. I settled their concerns about a stranger being in their midst telling them I was a friend who came to speak with you.”

The shaman frowned. “You spoke to the dogs and reindeer? They understood you?”

“Yes,” Fiach smiled. “I can speak with many animals. Please, let me show you. I ask that you not scream nor run away as I call my animal helpers.”

Fiach tilted her head back and howled like a wolf. The sound was so lifelike the villagers shivered.

A wolf howl replied from the east, another from the west. Fiach barked and yipped to the dogs and grunted to the reindeer telling them to not be afraid. The villagers were stunned as they could see their animals react to Fiach’s animal speech. Then a wolf trotted into the village from the east and another from the west. The wolves walked right up to Fiach for scratches before sitting on their haunches, one on each side. The villagers were stunned.

Fiach then tilted her head and let out a bone chilling roar. The villagers shivered with fear as an identical roar sounded to the north of the village. In moments a huge orange and black striped tiger sauntered into the village ignoring the people and animals as it walked to Fiach. Fiach scratched the tiger under his chin, then the tiger sprawled in front of Fiach.

The villagers were awed as they looked at the wolves and tiger with Fiach. Then she tilted her head and let out a sharp piercing scream that chilled their blood. From high in the sky an identical scream replied. Shocked, the villagers looked up to see a majestic eagle circling down until it landed on Fiach’s head.

The villagers had no idea how to respond. Then Fiach crocked like a raven. From the trees surrounding the village 20 ravens crocked and flew forth raucously cheering Fiach as they flew around her before settling on the ground around her. The villagers were clearly gobsmacked and awed by Fiach’s affinity with the animals. While they had to admit they witnessed Fiach controlling the animals, they still, they could not accept she was as old as she claimed.

“You need proof,” Fiach wearily smiled as she sensed their disbelief. She pointed to one man who she knew to be the leader as she held out her left arm. “Take your knife and cut open my arm from elbow to hand. You’ll be able to see the bloody wound, then you’ll see it heal. Do it!”

Realizing he was being challenged by this youngster he frowned. “I do not want to create an incident amongst our peoples.”

“There will be no incident because I’m telling you to wound me,” Fiach smiled. “Now cut me.”

The man looked into Fiach’s eyes and could see no signs of insanity nor any fear. Reaching out he grasped her hand while drawing his knife with the other. Then he placed the tip of the blade against the inside of her elbow. He kept searching her eyes for a sign of fear but saw only a calm serenity. Slowly he pushed the blade into her flesh, watching for pain and anxiety but saw a smile.

“At my age I’ve learned to enjoy pain,” Fiach smiled. “Finish the cut.”

The villagers watched in awe and fear as the sharp blade sliced down to the bone, then pulled down to the wrist. The flesh separated as the wound lengthened revealing the muscle and bone inside. Blood flowed freely. The man pulled the knife away leaving the gaping wound. Fiach continued to smile as she moved her arm so the astounded crowd could see the horrid wound. Even as they watched in amazement the flow of blood slowed and stopped. Then the flesh at either end of the long wound began knitting together pulling itself back together. No one spoke until the wound was fully closed.

“Now you have witnessed my Curse,” Fiach sighed. “I am doomed to never ending life, never aging, never becoming an adult, physically too young to have children of my own, watching those I love age and die while I continue unchanged. I’ve watched 16 generations of my family be born, grow up, raise families of their own, then wither in old age and die. During that time my family has grown into the Clan Corvo with me providing continuity and wisdom.”

Most of the adults began to consider how never aging or dying could be a curse. While still hesitant, the shaman felt the spirits were telling him to trust Fiach. Messengers were dispatched to tell the native scouts to enter the Clan Corvo camps and observe first hand.

For several days Fiach and the shaman used their hallucinogen enhanced consciousness to explore the spirit world. Fiach discovered much. The shamanistic beliefs of the natives were closely related to the shamanistic beliefs of the early Celts. While the gods and spirits had different names, their responsibilities within their pantheon had direct counterparts. With the guidance of shaman, Fiach traveled through the spirit world. Her affinity with animals enabled the shaman to derive greater insight to the spirits.

The multi day experiences didn’t make Fiach question her devotion to God, but it opened her eyes to the myriad paths to commune with God even if those paths didn’t recognize Jesus or called the deity Danu or Gaia or Earth Mother or other names. More importantly, the mystic experiences told her she’d been wrong about her approach to faith.

While her intentions had been good, the reality was not. The removal of priests and leadership of the conquered faiths to the Corvo University School of Religion had been misguided. The reason to bring them to the school was to document the tenants of their faith and rituals then to educate them in Corvo Christianity. The hope had been to convert them. Even worse was the fact the reeducated priests would not be sent back to where they came. She had already realized it was impossible to create a single faith that covered the variant valid concepts of the many faiths. She had tried to maintain an ideal to accept and tolerate all legitimate faiths. But her actions had the unrecognized consequences of gutting the non Christian faiths by stripping away their faith leadership and those who knew the rituals practices.

Studying with the Siberian shaman helped Fiach see the error of her ways. Inadvertently she’d allowed Corvo Christianity to become oppressive to other faiths.

Shamanic practices originated as early as the Paleolithic, easily predating all organized religions. Shamanism attempts to mediate between humans and the good and evil spirits. It was the precursor to organized religions.

The goals of training all priests to have a basic understanding and tolerance of other faiths was noble and still a goal. However, the Clan Corvo also had a responsibility to preserve the non Christian faiths. Accepting responsibility for her misguided actions, Fiach ordered the Corvo School of Religion to try to collect the diaspora of priests and send them back to the followers of their faiths. The documentation for each faith was gathered and published to provide the disparate faiths with a guide. It would take a while to correct the mistakes made, but Fiach was determined to make the best effort to restore the faiths.

Since the Clan Corvo didn't charge into Siberia raping and pillaging, they were accepted as visitors. The Corvoian priests had been trained to respect the shamanistic and animalistic worship/faith of the natives and to share with the people Corvoian morality. Christianity was NOT to be forced upon the natives. Any priests who violated those instructions would be severely punished. If Corvoian Christianity spread in the area it would happen by the example set by the Corvoian teachers, scribes and language specialists who joined them to learn and record their culture and faiths while sharing Corvoian knowledge. So as not to be a burden, the Corvoians brought their own supplies. The Siberian natives had no elite, being guided by headman and shamans. The natives were no threat so would be allowed an in place assimilation. The natives were consulted about cutting roads, building bridges, laying railroads and establishing trading villages so they didn’t violate sacred areas.

Further south in the great western and central Asian steppes of Kazakhstan and Mongolia, 5 army groups, 169,800 soldiers, moved east sweeping up the nomadic tribes and taking the towns and villages. Fiach traveled with them talking to the natives and letting the Raven Raider generals handle the military strategies. The first people they faced in the steppes of eastern Kazakhstan were the remnants of the Yueban who ceased to existed during the 480s when they were invaded by the Gaoche and split into four tribes, known as the Chuyue, Chumi, Chumuhun, and Chuban. Weakened by years of warfare that had caused the demise of their larger federation they were easily outmaneuvered and overpowered by the Raven Raiders thanks to the raven/eagle overwatch and the wolf/tiger scouting. Next in the Atali Mountains between Kazakhstan and Mongolia they encountered the Fufuluo, a Gaoche tribe of twelve clans of steppe nomads, who rebelled against but were defeated by the Rouran. They had escaped west and established a state in 487 after pushing the Yueban west. They still raided the Rouran. Again the Raven Raiders outmaneuvered and outfought the less organized and woefully under-armed nomads. In both cases, the warriors fought briefly and fled. Their villages and settlements were easily overrun capturing the women, children and elderly. The warriors were invited to rejoin their families under a truce for 1 month. At the end of the month they could leave taking their families with them. Fortunately during that month they were able to witness the benefits of joining the Clan Corvo, the majority stayed. The few who left discovered their families were tired of the wars and raids. Few families accompanied the leaving warriors. Many of those who left returned in a few months.

Even further south, the Raven Raiders sent 3 army groups east through the mountains of the Hindu Kush from Afghanistan and Pakistan to take out the Hephthalites. The eagle/raven overwatch coupled with the wolf/tiger assistance proved extremely valuable in the steep mountains and valleys as the Raven Raiders once more were able to outmaneuver their opponents although the Clan Corvo casualties were slightly higher.

The army group in Siberia continued east. Further south, 3 of the 5 army groups of Raven Raiders headed into Mongolia and the Irkutsk area of south central Siberia around Lake Biakal.

The Rouran were a confederation led by the nomadic Xianbei people who lived in the irresistible steppes. {In our reality they emerged in Europe as the Pannonian Avars starting in 568 fighting the Byzantines.} The Rouran overpowered the Hephthalites, a people to the southwest who broke free of their vassal status in the early 400s by migrating southwest into the Hindu Kush Mountains where they came into conflict with the Sassanids and later the Raven Raiders. The Rouran were engaged in the west fighting the raids of the Gaoche and in the east fighting the Northern Wei in China. As nomads they were dependant upon their horses, yaks, cattle, sheep, goats and Bactrian Camels. Battles were brief but savage, however the raven/eagle overwatch and wolf/tiger scouting proved unstoppable as the Raven Raiders outmaneuvered every trap and ambush. The use of breech loading artillery and the rapid fire rifles literally cut the normally irresistible mass cavalry charges of the nomads to pieces. The dead men and horses of the Rouran nomads littered the field of battle.

Fiach loved and hated the lopsided battles. She loved that the Raven Raider losses were minimal. Back in 461 she'd been pleased with the Raven Raider casualty rate of 0.0053% and death rate of 0.0013%. In this campaign with the new weapons the casualty rate dropped to 0.0025% and the death rate to 0.0006%. She hated that the nomad losses were so extreme. The Rouran were accustomed to their massive horse mounted thundering charges sweeping their opponents from the field. When they tried that tactic with the Raven Raiders, it proved deadly. The artillery and repeating rifles cut the Rouran down like a scythe cuts wheat. In nearly every brief battle, the nomad warriors had suffered about 85% casualties with a death rate of 63% of their battle committed forces. The only positive was that it didn't take long for the broken Rouran warriors to flee east instead of fighting. However, the injured warriors, elders, women and children and their herds and yurts couldn't move nearly as fast as the fleeing mobile Rouran cavalry. The result was the Raven Raiders were able to sweep up the civilians and herds en masse. The fact the wounded were medically treated instead of being killed and the civilians were treated well and fed. Their assimilation was astoundingly rapid. The yurts became models for the entire Clan Corvo as durable mobile shelters that could keep the extreme cold of the Mongolian plains at bay.

To the south of the Rouran, 2 Raven Raider armies moved south of the Rouran through the Xiyu city states of east central Asia in the Tarim Basin in southern Xinjiang and the Tuyuhun Empire to their immediate east. The area had been conquered by the Chinese Han Dynasty in 74 CE to gain control the Silk Road trading routes. After the Han collapsed in 220, the area returned to the control of it's nomadic Xianbei peoples. The Xiyu city states asserted their independence with none strong enough to take over their neighbors. Thanks to the artillery, rifles and pistols the city states fell to the Raven Raiders with little effort, the Tuyuhun, being mobile, proved more difficult but not prohibitively so.
The 3 army groups went through the Hindu Kush into the Tibetan Plateau and the Himalayan Mountains. The Zhang Zhung civilization consisted of 18 small kingdoms in the west and northwest portion of Tibet. They had established a system of hilltop citadels as a defense against the steppe tribes of Central Asia. The cannons of the Raven Raiders made short work of the stone fortifications. The biggest obstacle the Raven Raiders faced was the thin air at the 2 mile plus altitudes. The tactic of blasting the fortifications and offering to accept surrender during pauses kept Raven Raider casualties low.

By the end of 495, the Raven Raiders had subdued their foes. The combat of Phase 2 of Operation Harmony came to an end. They had reached the borders of China, the Korean Peninsula, and India. The assimilation of the conquered areas began using the lessons learned during Phase 1.

There were far fewer elite amongst these conquered peoples. Thus once the masses saw they were not being killed or enslaved there was not much resistance to the assimilation.

The assimilation of the newly conquered areas went smoothly. Instead of sending all the local priests/shamans to Corvo University School of Religion, most were allowed to stay in place as long as they accepted at least 2 Corvo priests to accompany them to document their beliefs and rituals and to respectfully mutually discuss their theology. The Corvo priests would also teach the local priest comparative religions. With the exception of fomenting rebellion or resistance to the Clan Corvo assimilation, the assigned Corvo priests did not censure what the local priest did. Only if the priest/shaman rejected those limitations, they were sent for reeducation.

As before, Clan Corvo people settled amongst the new peoples to set up schools, medical centers and administration centers. Farming and animal husbandry was refined for each local. Natural resources were explored and documented for future utilization. Most importantly, the locals were respected and treated as equals. The schools taught a secular course on comparative religions that neither recommend nor condemned any faith. It was made clear that no faith was better than another, that all were equally valid. It was also stressed that participating in a faith was a free will decision.

China at this time was split into 2 competing nations. Evolved from the Tuoba tribe of Xianbe nomads, the Northern Wei ruled north China and the Liang ruled in the south. Neither Chinese empire was ready for an all out war and with the extended supply lines of the Clan Corvo, all sides backed off, thus creating a very narrow quasi demilitarized zone that allowed brisk trading to continue. The 2 Chinese empires did not trust each other. Both were glad the incessant raids of the nomads had been stopped but they knew the Raven Raiders had to be a powerful adversary to have done what China, at the height of the Han dynasty, had failed to do.

Even though the Clan Corvo had defeated the nomads, they made no move against either Chinese Empire. The 2 Chinese Empires made no move against the Clan Corvo, content to reinforce but maintain their borders. They had enough to handle with the intrigues within their empires as well as their inter-Empire turmoil.

Fiach had discovered during the Phase 1 fighting, that 95% of the conquered people had been effectively subjugated by their ruling elite and the wealthy. Once those people saw the egalitarian ways of the Clan Corvo, the vast majority slid into life as part of the Clan Corvo with little opposition. Of the 5% elite class, 90% of the men and nearly a third of the women resisted assimilation. The main reason the majority of women accepted their reduced status was that the Clan Corvo guaranteed their families would remain intact and the threat of rape was removed. With the Clan Corvo zero tolerance of resistance, those elite who copped attitudes ended up enslaved within 2 months of capture. The policy for such slaves was serving 3 years of slavery before achieving freedom, however the 3 years didn't start until they proved they'd lost their arrogance and sense of self importance, in other words until their self centered spirits had been broken. About 25% would die in slavery.

As for the common people, at first they assumed the conquest by the Clan Corvo was like every previous conquest, where their overlords used and abused them while living in luxury. If they even dared to protest, the elite would ruthlessly crush those protesting. It took weeks for the downtrodden masses to realize the Clan Corvo was indeed different and actually cared about them. They saw no one living in luxury. The extravagant estates of the elite were repurposed for public uses. They became schools and hospitals administration sites. They saw food was plentiful and shared so no one went hungry. They saw the establishment of schools to educate the youngsters and even interested adults. They marveled that the Clan Corvo was actually treating them as equals. Even more importantly, they were treated with respect. The ill, infirm and elderly were respectfully housed, fed and clothed. Once they realized they were able to improve their peasant existence, the masses quickly sought to better their lives. The assimilation of the locals into the Clan Corvo flowed with little resistence and much eagerness.

The peaceful status quo held for 35 years as the Clan Corvo assimilated those they had conquered, built rock paved roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, churches and temples as well as towns and huge supply depots. The Clan Corvo brought in specialists who experimented and determined the best crops and herds for each local to help their economy become better and more reliable. The assimilation actually went smoother and better than before because while the conquered areas were similar in size, the populations were not. The newly occupied areas had far fewer people with fewer high status elite.

For centuries the Chinese had endured regular raids and occasional invasions by the nomads of the Mongolian Steppes, the latest being the Rouran. The fact the Clan Corvo conquests willingly stopped at the Chinese borders and not only allowed trade to continue but actually increased the volume pleased the Chinese elite. The fact the Clan Corvo did not raid the Chinese was welcomed. They were lulled into a false sense of security. The few who worried that any Chinese spies crossing into Clan Corvo territory never returned was shrugged off since the Clan Corvo openly warned the Chinese against crossing the border. For their part the Clan Corvo upheld their pledge not to send spies into Chinese territory. The bird overwatch kept a close eye on things in the Chinese kingdoms for the Clan Corvo. As before, trading was done at border posts with Chinese citizens not allowed to cross into Clan territory. The Chinese were not as strict granting travel documents to Clan Corvo traders.

While the Chinese had hired the fleeing defeated surviving Rouran warriors they ignored their warnings about the thunder weapons the Clan Corvo wielded. The haughty Chinese elite dismissed the Rouran's fantastic tales of unmitigated slaughter as a means of saving face. The eagles and ravens performed daily patrols over the borders, covering strips 10 miles wide on both sides of the border. Anyone who crossed the border into Clan Corvo territory were spotted and quickly hunted down. If they resisted they were killed, if they surrendered, they were thoroughly questioned then sent at least 500 miles away to be assimilated. If they were not cooperative they were enslaved. Because of the relatively peaceful coexistence, neither Chinese nation did anything significant to prepare for war with the Clan Corvo. All they had done was to initially increase their troops along the border areas. Within 5 years, as trade continued and there were no attempts at incursions, the sense of concern and urgency against their new unknown foe faded. The expense of maintaining the increased border guard personnel overwhelmed their concern about the Clan Corvo. This peaceful coexistence resulted in the Chinese reducing their border guards as a money saving effort. Even worse, without any fighting, those remaining border guards became lackadaisical in their training and attitudes.

Neither Chinese Empire trusted the other to even consider uniting their forces. They assumed any war that did develop would be similar to those they fought in the past. The Northern Wei were in the midst of a massive cultural revolution trying to shed their Xianbe nomadic roots by inculcating the more civilized Chinese culture. During the reign of Emperor Xiaowen {477-499}, court advisers instituted sweeping reforms and introduced changes that eventually led to the dynasty moving its capital from Datong to Luoyang in 494. They renamed themselves the Han people surname Yuan as a part of systematic Sinicization. {In our history, in 534, near the end of the dynasty, there was significant internal dissension resulting in a further split into Eastern Wei and Western Wei}. The adoption of Chinese names and culture was mainly among the elite. Wei's military depended on a group for whom soldiering was a hereditary profession. These military households were given land they were responsible to see was farmed by the peasants. The children of these hereditary military households could only marry into the families of other military households. In effect, a military career was inherited. When a soldier or commander died or became unable to fight, a male relative would inherit his position. These hereditary soldiers provided the bulk of the infantry. For the purpose of cavalry, the Wei recruited large numbers of Xiongnu nomads that were settled in southern Shanxi. In addition, provincial armies, which were very weak under the Han, became the bulk of the army under the Wei. This system created the earliest forms of the equal field land system where each headquarters commanded about one thousand farmer-soldiers who could be mobilized for war. In peacetime they were self-sustaining on their farming land allotments and were obliged to do tours of active duty in the capital.

In 523, rebellions broke out on six major garrison-towns on the long peaceful northern border facing the Raven Raiders and spread like wildfire throughout the north. Exacerbating the situation, Empress Dowager Hu poisoned her own son, Emperor Xiaoming, in 528 after he showed disapproval of her handling of the affairs of state as he started coming of age and got ready to claim the power that had been held by the empress in his name when he inherited the throne as an infant, giving the Empress Dowager rule of the country for more than another decade. Upon hearing the news of the 18-year-old emperor's death, the general Erzhu Rong, who had already mobilized on secret orders of the emperor to support him in his struggle with the Empress Dowager, turned toward Luoyang. Announcing that he was installing a new emperor chosen by an ancient Xianbei method, he summoned the officials of the city to meet their new emperor. However, on their arrival, he told them they were to be punished for their misgovernment and butchered them, throwing the Empress Hu and her candidate, another puppet child emperor Yuan Zhao, into the swift flowing near flood level Yellow River. Over 2,000 courtiers were killed in this massacre on the 13th day of the second month of 528. One of the princes managed to escape south to the Liang.

The general dominated the imperial court thereafter, the new emperor held power in name only and most decisions actually went through the general. The general, through imperial authority did stop most of the rebellions, largely reunifying the Northern Wei state. However, Emperor Xiaozhuang, not wishing to remain a puppet emperor and highly wary of the widespread power of the general’s clan and questionable loyalty and intentions towards the throne, killed the general in 530 in an ambush at the palace, which led to a resumption of civil war.

Southern China coalesced into the Southern Qi in 472 and lasted to 502 when the 3rd generation of the imperial family was overthrown after numerous rebellions by a distant cousin. Emperor Wu renamed the empire Liang. While he was diligent and frugal and fostered willingness for his officials to have different opinions than his, there was an immediate troubling sign for his reign which would become increasingly serious as time went on. The Emperor tolerated corruption by his own family members and those high-level officials who he felt contributed to his establishment of Liang. On top of that was regular border conflict with the Northern Wei with border areas switching hands. In 528 he sponsored the Wei prince who fled the courtier massacre during the rebellion against the Northern Wei emperor. The rebellion ended in the winter of 530.

While the Clan Corvo was confident of their ability to successfully conquer the 2 Chinese empires, they were also aware doing so could prove difficult and possibly disastrous if their opponents had time to organize their forces. Preparations were made knowing the 2 Chinese Empires could field armies of hundreds of thousands. However, most would be levies since until the arrival of the Clan Corvo, both empires had depended heavily upon mercenaries hired from the steppes of central Asia. While the Chinese knew their source of mercenaries had dried up, it really had not seriously effected them since the mercenaries they had, stayed. Since the homelands of the mercenaries had been conquered, the few who had escaped the conquest went into the easiest job available, being a mercenary. For many years there was no need to seek more mercenaries. It was only in the last few years their advancing age was seriously effecting their performance as the mercenaries aged out of being fit for duty, finding replacements had been difficult.

Both empires were embroiled in internal conflicts regarding succession to their individual thrones as well as the intermittent border skirmishes verging on open war between the 2 empires. This meant their attention was drawn inwards. Many small battles and skirmishes occurred but no extensive fighting occurred nor were the peasant levies called to arms. The mercenaries were kept busy with brief easy fighting. By 531 the professional Chinese warriors made up only 10% of their potential armies with another 15% being the mercenaries who were their cavalry meaning their active military was only 25% of their potential. The nobility, trained as warriors in their youth, made another 15%. That meant 60% of their potential armies would be untried and poorly trained civilian levies. That's not to mention the 6 to 9 weeks time it took to call up, train and supply the levies. While 40% of their troops were trained, the continual internal dissension and rebellion fractured their unity. Each district was required to maintain a military force to deter rebellion and dissension. These local troops were trained but their loyalty was to their district leader. These local leaders had to maintain their forces to maintain their power base. As such they were reluctant to be dispatched to trouble spots. The vast majority of their active military consisted of small units scattered across the empire which meant the local leaders would be reluctant to send their troops to form a massed army.

As 530 ended Fiach was ready to begin Phase 3 of Operation Harmony. Fiach pulled together a massive 66 Armies for the initial resumption of Operation Harmony with an additional 80 armies due to become active by 532. As before she had twice that number of people following behind the troops to immediately begin assimilating the conquered peoples. In the fall of 530 she set sail with a massive fleet from Egypt with 1 army sailing through the Pharonic Canal into the Red Sea, through the Gulf of Aden then the Arabian Sea into the Indian Ocean. There she sailed to the islands where Corvus Shipping had already established colonial bases. First was the Maldives Islands, a mid-Ocean base and colony. The Maldives {GM -0.664250, 73.123657} were 1715 miles southeast of the Horn of Africa and 610 miles southwest of the southern tip of India. From there they headed southeast 1810 miles to the Cocos Islands {GM -12.168280, 96.870001}, another colony. Then it was 605 miles northeast to the colony in the Christmas Islands {GM -10.495932, 105.633084}. From there it was 1315 miles southeast to Australia to the base and colony at Derby {GM -17.296322, 123.611660}. Then it was north east along the coast for 680 miles to a base colony at Darwin {GM -12.455042, 130.843454}. Continuing east along the northern coast for 825 miles to another base colony at Nanum {GM -12.654954, 141.849496} then 750 miles to Cairns {GM -16.940405, 145.764520} and finally 935 miles to the main Australian base and colony Brisbane {GM -27.482419, 153.128546}.

After a bit of shore leave, ship repair and maintenance and restocking supplies, in the beginning of December the fleet and army sailed north stopping at Cairns then sailing 3605 miles around the west side of New Guinea then up the east side of the Philippines to the Miyako Archipelago consists of the islands of Miyako-jima {GM 24.753559, 125.353944}. The 61 square mile island had 5 smaller adjacent islands; Irabu Island at 11 square miles, Shimoji-shima at 3 square miles, Ikema Island at 1 square mile, Kurima Island at 7/8 square miles and Ogami Island at 1/8 square miles, all were within 2 1/2 miles of the main island. Two additional islands, Minna Island and Tarama Island are 5 miles apart in a north south direction and lie 34 miles west of Miyako Island, together they cover 8 1/2 square miles. They were located 200 miles east of the northern end of Taiwan and 170 miles southwest of Okinawa.

The fleet arrived just after New Year 531 to begin the initial part of Phase 3 of Operation Harmony. The unexpected massive naval invasion easily secured the islands as a naval base so Corvus Shipping could control the East China and Yellow Seas. A fleet of 3000 ships and an army of 33,960 Raven Raiders landed on the island taking the population of 25,000 totally by surprise. The occupation was total and completed on the first day. By the end of a month the naval supply base was firmly established with sheltered harbors and breakwaters.

They then landed on and occupied the neighboring islands of the Yaeyama Archipelago just southwest of the Miyako Archipelago consisting of the islands of Ishigaki, Taketomi, Kuroshima, Kohama, Hatoma, Iriomote, Yonaguni, Hateruma, Aragusuku, Sotobanari, Uchibanari, Yubu, Daichiri, Kojima, Macipanari, Hirari, Kayama, and Kamiji which together have an area of 228 1/3 square miles.

The populace of the islands were descendants of Japanese whose ancestors had migrated south from the main Japanese islands sometime around 2 BCE. They were so overwhelmed by the unexpected invasion they could not resist. Fiach assisted the Corvoian priests who accompanied the invaders to learn the native language while teaching them the Celtic/Germanic/Latin Corvoian language used by the Clan Corvo thus beginning their assimilation. As soon as the base was built and secure, the vast fleet began shutting down sea trade. The ships of Corvus Shipping were far faster than the regional seagoing vessels. Korean, Chinese and Japanese ships were stopped and searched. Those that resisted faced the rifles of the Corvus Shipping Marines. Very few vessels were sunk as most capitulated when the crew began dropping at distances they couldn’t hope to match. The use of deck mounted artillery were few and far between. The captured crews and vessels were brought back to the Corvoian base where the vessels were impounded and the crews interned. Fiach was instrumental in breaking the language barriers and recruiting volunteers to come aboard the Corvus Shipping vessels to act as interpreters. These interpreters were disbursed amongst the appropriate Corvus Shipping vessels and later the Raven Raider divisions and Corvus Shipping vessels. Fishing vessels were allowed to go free but warned to expect to be boarded if encountered. The interned crews were educated in the ways of the Clan Corvo. They would be utilized to ease the assimilation of their home ports.

In early spring of 531, 3 simultaneous assaults began on the Asian mainland. Army Group Liang and Army Group Wei, 25 armies of 849,000 Raven Raiders each, would invade Liang in the south and the Northern Wei in the north. The remaining 15 armies of 509,400 Raven Raiders of Army Group Korea, would advance against the Korean Goguryeo. The Goguryeo were the largest of the 3 Kingdoms of Korea having expanded north and west and east into Manchuria.

The raven/eagle overwatch had been flying over the border areas for 35 years so all fortifications and strong points were known. All settlements, roads, paths, bridges were mapped. The location of every military unit was known and tracked. They'd also learned that the rainy season ran from June through August with flooding an ever present threat. The Northern Wei Emperor had been overthrown and killed in January 531 so the empire was embroiled with inner turmoil as they struggled over succession.

April 1, 531, the assaults began before dawn. Wolves and tigers accompanied by Raven Raiders trained for silent infiltration slipped across the borders just after midnight. By the time the mounted columns crossed with the dawn, the border guards were dead or captured and the border forts and checkpoints taken. The columns charged forward spreading throughout the territory taking every town, village and hamlet. The surprise was complete at every crossing point.

The Korean Goguryeo were in a mess when the Clan Corvo attacked. King Munjamyeong, the 21st king, had died in 519 after a reign of 28 years. His oldest son Anjang succeeded him but chaos developed over the succession as the process had not been confirmed. The struggle lasted until the early spring of 531 when he was assassinated without an heir. His brother, Anwon, took the throne just as the Clan Corvo attacked. Needless to say the Goguryeo were splintered and disorganized. Against the Goguryeo in the northeast around PD Vladivostok, 5 army groups crossed the Tumen River border then turned south along the coast and 20 miles inland blowing through every village and town annihilating or capturing any warriors who tried to resist. The artillery never unlimbered as the rifles were sufficient to strike fear into the Goguryeo warriors. After a brief deadly resistance most surrendered although quite a few committed suicide rather than loose face. In the center 300 miles of the border, 5 army groups individually followed the roads and paths into the center of Manchuria likewise overwhelming all opposition. In the south where the Goguryeo bordered the Northern Wei along the Liao River, 5 army groups swept south along the eastern bank reaching the coast while units split off to take the Liaodong Penninsula and others hurried to the Yalu River to force a crossing before major resistance could be mustered.

It took 3 days to reach the Liaodong Bay off the Bohai Sea. An army group reached the Yalu River on the 8th day where they met a contingent of Corvus Shipping vessels who provided ferry service and covering artillery fire to drive back all resistance. As the other 4 army groups caught up, they crossed the Yalu River and proceeded south along the west coast and 20 miles inland. The 5 army groups in the center advanced south in the central section of the Korean Peninsula. The capital, Pyongyang, was in disarray. The west wing of the Raven Raider army groups reached the capital 15 days after the attack started. The east wing reached Wonsan the same day. The central wing reached Yangdok 18 days after the start. The Goguryeo were totally crushed.

The Raven Raiders continued south invading the 2 remaining kingdoms on the Korean Peninsula, Baekje and Silla. The remnants of the collapsed Gaya Confederacy in the extreme south retained a quasi independence although they were merely weak city/states. The almost continuous border conflicts between the Goguryeo, Baekje and Silla to their north allowed them tentative peace. The Baekje were a skilled seafaring people on the west coast. Their sea power was destroyed by the Corvus Shipping fleet. Only a handful were sunk while the rest, unable to resist the artillery of Corvus Shipping fleet, were forced to surrender. Alerted, the Baekje had hastily raised their warriors but they proved incapable of stopping the Raven Raiders although in the mountainous terrain they did slow them down. It took 15 days to reach their capital Ungjin {PD Gongju} and another day to take the city. After that organized resistance ended. The same held true for the Silla. It took 18 days for the Raven Raiders to reach their capital of Gyeongju. By 45 days after the invasion began, the Korean Peninsula was subdued. The peasants were complacent and actually welcomed and cooperated with the Clan Corvo when they realized their lives would be changing for the better. The vast majority of the aristocrats and nobles remained haughty and defiant. They quickly found themselves enslaved and shipped off to distant areas where they had no connections and no hope of escape.

The Northern Wei were totally unprepared for the unexpected invasion of Army Group Wei. In the northeast an army swept down the west bank of the Liao River keeping pace with the troops of Army Group Korea on the east bank. Upon reaching Liaodong Bay they swept west and south along the coast. All along the northern border the 15 army groups were spread at strategic locations along the 1000 mile border. Starting at dawn, by sunset all targets within 25 miles of the border had been taken. In the morning, special strike squads swept out taking every supply depot and potential bottleneck. The Chinese forces were so totally unprepared they had no time to muster their huge armies. The situation was so bad the full time warriors had no time to organize thus were easily overwhelmed in a piecemeal manner. What fighting did occur were at best brief lopsided skirmishes lasting 5 minutes or less. The ravens/eagles did their part in taking out horse mounted messengers who tried to get word of the attack out. In 4 days they reached the regional garrison headquarters city of Woye on the Yellow River 105 miles from the border. During that time the city never received notice the Clan Corvo had invaded.

They learned of the invasion when the Raven Raiders stormed the gates at dawn. The guards were taken out by elite stealthy specially trained for silent infiltration, many non fatally. The majority of the city guard were just rising. Those guarding the gates and walls were weary from standing an uneventful guard all night. The Raven Raiders were inside the walls before the alarms could be sounded. The commanding general and his aides were caught unprepared in their quarters. By the time the sun had risen above the walls of the garrison city, the citizens left their homes to see squads of heavily armed Raven Raiders on every street corner.

Fiach had been with the Corvus Fleet but joined the Raven Raiders when they reached Liaodong Bay. As she rode with the Raven Raiders she noted the common Chinese people, the peasants, were meek and submissive, accustomed to their permanent low status with no hope for improvement in their future with their lives dependant upon the demands of their aristocratic overseers; their only concern was surviving. Fiach spoke with the few peasant elders finding they really had no loyalty to their overbearing haughty rulers. Fiach assured them the Clan Corvo would respect them and provide their children with the opportunity to improve their lives. The elite upper classes were publicly stripped of their wealth with most assigned smaller sparsely furnished homes and to jobs requiring physical labor. A few professionals were allowed to stay working in their area of specialization but were monitored and had to work with scribes to record their knowledge. Those who resisted were placed in chains, and marched off to slavery.

The common populace were stunned. While it wasn't unusual for a few of the elite to be killed or imprisoned during power struggles, they'd never witnessed the entirety of the elite taken out. The administrators following on the heels of the Raven Raiders filled the vacuum to keep the local areas functioning as they introduced Clan Corvo practices. The local priests and shamans were allowed to continue as long as they accepted 2 Corvo priests to shadow them to document their faith and rituals as had been done after Phase 2. The peasants were guardedly hopeful as Fiach ordered the governmental food stores opened to provide the working population with adequate food. For many, this was the first time in their lives they had enough food. Most telling was that the estates of the displaced wealthy were not reoccupied by the wealthy of the conquerors. In fact, many elite compounds were turned into churches, temples, schools and hospitals. Others were converted into apartments for use by the populace.

By the 46th day of the campaign the Raven Raiders reached the Yellow River, 16 miles from the capital city of Luoyang {GM 34.669722,112.442222}, 575 miles from the border. Word of the invasion had reached the capital just 3 days before. The sudden lack of communications from the northern regions of their Empire were assumed to be because of another round of revolts. The nominal emperor was reluctant to order general mobilization because that could allow the various factions of the Northern Wei generals to organize their armies. The Empire had devolved into factions because over the last few years they'd been wrangling over installing a new emperor. Once they realized they faced a massive invasion, the differences amongst the generals were so great they couldn't agree on who should command their united forces to face the Raven Raiders. As a result the hastily mobilizing forces did so piecemeal refusing to unite.

No one defended the vital river crossing. Just after dawn at a wide section of the river, an army of Raven Raiders rode their horses across the 1/3 mile wide stream. Rafts and boats were used to build a pontoon bridge to move the artillery and supply wagons across. Once across the divisions fanned out to cut off and surround the capital. Inside the Raven Raider ring were half a dozen recently conscripted Chinese troops ranging in size from one to 4 divisions amounting to 100,000 troops facing off against 33,000 well armed, trained and disciplined Raven Raiders. However, most had just arrived, had few supplies, and while armed, had virtually no training. Even worse there was not enough room inside the city walls to shelter the conscripted forces.

By dawn the next day the Raven Raider artillery was arrayed around the city. After the call to surrender was rejected the artillery opened fire. The cannons were aimed over the heads of the conscripted troops at the city’s gates, walls and watch towers, obliterating the defenses. The conscripted forces were terrified by the thunder of the artillery and the destruction they saw happening to the imposing city walls and gates. The trained warriors, including the generals, had never faced such horrific noise and destruction.

After the barrage paused, Fiach called out to the battered city. "People of Luoyang, I am Fiach Corvo, head of the Clan Corvo. We do not want to enslave you. We have come to free you from the beneath the feet of the elite. We want you to join us. We offer membership in the Clan Corvo to everyone. We will not abuse you but welcome you as brothers and sisters. Look at our warriors. You will see people from different races in the same unit, both male and female. We offer everyone a chance to improve their status. We have no peasants. We have no upper class! Everyone in the Clan Corvo is equal. We do not want to kill any more than have already died. In truth, we wish none had died. There is no need for you to die because your foolish rulers are greedy and stupid. They are too proud to surrender and so put YOUR lives in danger. You owe them nothing! If you have weapons, lay them down and leave the city now. If you have no weapons, please leave the city now to avoid the coming carnage. We ask you raise your hands above your head so we can see you are unarmed. You will be gathered behind our lines to await the outcome of this massacre when I will address you and set you free. If you do not, we will resume our attack and many will die. Please, come join us."

It began slowly as many fearful conscripts dropped their weapons and tentatively raised their hands above their heads. Pathfinders greeted them with smiles as they were funneled through the Raven Raider lines. They were checked to insure they had no weapons then directed to holding areas. Those anxiously watching were amazed those surrendering were treated with respect. Many more conscripts dropped their weapons and joined the exodus as did civilians emerging from the shattered gates and walls. Bouts of violence briefly flared as some commanding officers tried to stop their conscripts from fleeing. The conscripts easily overwhelmed their commanders and fled to the Raven Raiders. Fearful citizens began making their way through the breached walls. Once those remaining inside saw those leaving were welcomed, they joined the exodus which turned into a flood. Those with hands without callouses, the hiding elite, were dispatched to detention points.

When the flow of people slowed, the Raven Raiders began entering the city to root out terrified citizens, the warriors and elite. Gunfire sporadically sounded as those who tried to fight were cut down. The warriors who finally surrendered were clearly in a state of shock. The generals and the high level government officials took their own lives rather than face the loss of face at being defeated. By noon the city fell.

Simultaneously with the attacks along the northern border, attacks by 10 army groups from the western borders pressed east along a 600 mile frontier. They too easily overwhelmed the unprepared Wei linking with the invading northern armies. With the capture of the capital and utter destruction of the central government, the disorganized remnants of the Wei collapsed. By the end of May the Empire of the Northern Wei ceased to exist.

The Liang fared no better. The 25 army groups of Army Group Liang swept east from the Tibetan Plateau and former Tuyuhun Empire along a 500 mile front. Emperor Wu held the throne since 502 and his corrupt ministers and generals had thoroughly oppressed the common people. Just as they had done to the Wei, the Raven Raiders easily overwhelmed their feeble unprepared defenses. The highly mobile Raven Raiders moved too quickly for the Liang to mount any sort of meaningful defenses. Jiankang {GM 32.05837,118.79647} the capital 170 miles northwest of Shanghai, fell the same day the Raven Raiders arrived and surrounded it.

The aristocracy in Liang, Northern Wei, and Korea were rounded up. They were bluntly told their life of privilege was over and they would be treated by the Clan Corvo the same as the commoners they’d oppressed. Those who had been cruel and oppressive were put in chains until they could face trial for their criminal actions. If they demonstrated any kind of resistence they were relocated out of the area. Their Clan Corvo captors were firm but not abusive during the transfer. If the defeated elite cooperated from the start, they were not relocated unless they requested such. All were eased into re-education and job training so they could become productive members of society. Those who resisted or were criminals were enslaved.

By the end of May 531 the first phase of conquest of Far East Asia was completed. The arrogant elite upper classes of the Far East Chinese and Koreans were rounded up, divided into groups of no more than 5 men and shipped off slavery at least 500 miles from their former homes.

The enslaved rulers and societal elite from China and Korea were put to work digging canals, building bridges and roads. They were worked 10 hours a day 6 days a week with 15 minute breaks 2 1/2 hours into the day and another 2 1/2 hours from end of their work day as well as a 30 minute lunch break at midday. If they refused to work they were required to simply stand in place during the working time to receive minimal sustenance of bread and water. The former elite either worked or starved.

During July through the end of the year, the Raven Raiders who had taken the Liang Chinese continued south into Vietnam. The Liang Chinese had controlled maritime trade and about 100 miles inland along the east coast of southeast Asia {present day Vietnam}. The Chinese had long ago conquered the native populations, thoroughly subjugating them. The area was easily rolled into the Clan Corvo, especially with Corvus Shipping owning the seas. At the same time the troops of Army Group Wei spread out to cover all of Korea and Liang.

The Raven Raiders who had taken Korea reorganized. In the spring of 532, Army Group Japan landed 15 army groups on Japan. The Japanese people had yet to unite and were fragmented into numerous rival feudal city/states. While their warriors were brave and proud, they had no means of successfully confronting the Raven Raiders with their hand held guns and artillery not to mention the raven overwatch. The city states were overwhelmed with the arrogant elite swept into slavery off the islands. Army Group Taiwan landed on Taiwan, Hainan, the Okinawan Islands and the islands off the coast of China, easily overwhelming the natives.

Also in 532, the 80 Raven Raider Army Groups recruited from the Americas, Europe and Africa, were ready for the final major military action of Operation Harmony. Forming on the Pakistani-Nepal-Bhutan border, 50 army groups swept south into the Indian Subcontinent. While there were several established kingdoms, the Gupta Empire was by far the largest. Kumaragupta III ascended the throne in 530, but the empire was nearing it's end as the dominant power on the Indian subcontinent. There were at least 6 smaller neighboring empires vying for dominance, each nibbling away at the borders. For years the war-weary Gupta military had jumped from one border conflict to another.

The remaining 30 army groups were divided into groups of 2. One dual army group landed on the island of Sri Lanka off the southeast coast of the subcontinent. On the west coast of the subcontinent along the Arabian Sea, 7 dual army groups seized the trading ports of Dwarka, Surat, Mumbai, Panaji, Karwar, Mangaluru and Kochi where Corvus Shipping had established bases. The remaining 7 dual army groups seized Rameswaram, Mallipattinam, Chennai, Visakhapatnam, Nuagarh, Digha, and Chittagong on the Bay of Bengal, the east coast of the subcontinent, where Corvus Shipping had established bases.

The invasion of the 80 Raven Raider Army groups swept through the competing empires crushing them. It took 4 months to sweep across the Indian sub-continent taking out the cities and fortresses. It took another year to eliminate all pockets of organized resistance. There were still remote areas not under Clan Corvo control, but they were subsistence level clan controlled areas with no formal government. They would eventually be subsumed into the Clan Corvo.

In much more gradual but irresistible manner, over the next 7 years the remainder of southeast Asia came under the control of the Clan Corvo. There were numerous small city/states and island/states, many in remote locations consisting of cooperating tribes or clans living under a chief or headman. Whatever their circumstances, they didn’t trust their neighbors enough to unite to face a common foe. As such they had no hope of holding off the Raven Raiders when they arrived. Corvus Shipping worked hand in hand with the Raven Raiders in taking the islands of the East Indies and South and Central Pacific, Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, Indonesia, Borneo, Papau, New Guinea, the Phillippines, Tasmania and New Zealand.

By 540, all organized resistence to Operation Harmony ended. Every city, state, and political entity had been overwhelmed by the Clan Corvo. The process of assimilation was well under way. Despite the fighting, the native populations could not even begin to compete against the overwhelming strengths and organization of the Raven Raiders. During each of the 3 Phases of Operation Harmony, the casualties steadily decreased. In fact, Fiach and her experts estimated the world population grew at a steady 1.5% during the course of the 88 years it took to complete Operation Harmony. Thus from the 250,000,000 world population of 461, they estimated the world population had more than tripled growing to 686,000,000, virtually all of that under the auspices of the Clan Corvo.

As each generation of Raven Raiders and Pathfinders matured, they morphed from an elite fighting force to an elite corp of engineers, police and administrators. They responded to natural disasters, kept the peace amongst the civilians and oversaw the construction and maintenance of infrastructure. In addition, the Raven Raider command structure was kept intact. They were used to observe and report on the administrators and priests they encountered who in turn reported on them.

The Raven Raiders had to work hand in hand with the administrators and priests on infrastructure and disaster relief so they had to get along. All 3 groups could report inappropriate actions by the others to the upper echelons via their parallel but separate lines of communications. They also functioned as brakes and spoilers to prevent anyone from becoming an elitist. Fiach was just as adamant about crushing elitism as she was about preventing the creation of peasants. Her insistence that everyone was equal was strictly enforced.

The administrator corps began functioning as Fiach hoped after she made a few tweaks. The main change was that once a person reached age 40, they could finish their current elected or appointed term but could no longer opt for a second term. This had the effect of eliminating greed and corruption which, if left unchecked, often increased with age. This resulted in the upper echelon administrators being mostly between the ages of 30 and 42. As such they were still attached to their idealistic goals but wise enough to compromise. This meant they were closer to their formal education and were aware of and trained to handle rapidly changing current technology and current events. Those who aged out of administrative leadership usually stepped away to allow the younger generation to function without the frowns of more experienced elders looking over their shoulders. Of course, the new administrators were encouraged to seek the advice of retired administrators, but were certainly not bound to take that advice. The retired administrators were allowed to contact the current administrators to offer advice, but could actually only provide advice if asked. In fact, if the retired administrators stuck their noses into affairs without being invited, they could be packed off to distant locations.

Historian archivists did their best to record the acts and rulings of the administrators from a non-biased neutral viewpoint. All reports were peer reviewed to insure impartiality. The historians and peer reviewers could place an addendum to the historical record giving their opinion of the matters but it had to be clearly marked as such. Since the works were publicly available, others were allowed to make addendums from their point of view. This gave a well rounded record of events. In addition, the printing press was well developed so once the records were approved, they were printed as books with the addendums included.

The levels of administrators were local, county, state, region, continental and world. Historians at each level were required to write up and maintain the historical records. The historians at each level were associated with the local schools. The library of every school served as a public library as well as the local historical archives. Copies of all historical records were sent to the administrative levels above the one producing it for inclusion in their school historical archive libraries which were also in schools. Thus copies of all local, county, state, regional and continental historical archives were kept in the Corvo University in Barmaz.

This is not to say there were not glitches or greed in the various administrators. However, anyone with complaints about an administrator could file a complaint. All complaints were investigated and the complainer was briefed on the outcome. This alone nipped most problems in the bud. However it was Fiach who was the most effective deterrent. With her Curse endued ability to sense emotions and even perceive inklings of thoughts, she knew when people were trying to hide something or were outright lying. She was the ultimate living lie detector.

Those who abused their positions out of greed and desire for power were ruthlessly crushed. Such actions were considered high treason to the Clan Corvo. Anyone in the government who used the government for their own benefit or the benefit of family, friends and associates would be committing treason. Accepting ‘gifts' of any kind or asking for a bribe was treason. Offering a bribe or ‘gift' was treason. Using one’s position to exact revenge was treason. Anyone falsely filing complaints against an administrator was guilty of treason. The punishment for treason was harsh, confiscation of all property and that of those who illicitly benefitted as well as enslavement for a minimum of 5 years.

However there were many greedy unethical people so several people a year in each state were punished. Every case of treason was made public throughout the state, naming the guilty and their punishment which served as an ongoing reminder of the seriousness of the crime. The cases were taught as part of the administration/government curriculum in the schools.

Portraits of Fiach were placed in every school and government office to let everyone know she was the Clan Corvo Matriarch. It also allowed people to realize she never aged. Wherever she visited she was easily recognized as she was almost continually traveling the world accompanied by an ever changing entourage of students on grand tours. She did her best to visit each county at least once every 6 years, sometimes only stopping for an hour or so but she made sure to see everyone in a position of power. Any official who failed to meet her without a solid reason was closely investigated.

With the world united and universal education, the various branches of Corvo University became hotbeds of technological invention and experimentation. By the time the fighting of Phase 3 of Operation Harmony ended in 540, electricity was making itself known. Primitive electric lamps were functioning, the telegraph was in operation. Hot air balloons were used. Experiments were being done with helium filled balloons. Primitive internal combustion engines were being developed. Each new development was eagerly shared throughout the Corvo University system with new developments occurring regularly.

In the newly assimilating areas, the Clan Corvo crushed the rigid class systems that existed in the overwhelmed empires. Those striated societies were totally dominated by the elite upper classes consisting of about 5% of the conquered peoples. Another 5-10% formed a sub-elite class. Beneath them were the lower classes, totally beholding to the upper classes. They had no opportunity to advance and no means to do so even if they tried. Those downtrodden masses, 85-90% of the conquered, eagerly allowed themselves to be swept into the classlessness of the Clan Corvo. For the first time, those long downtrodden people had hope of improving their lives. They eagerly accepted the education opportunities offered by the Clan Corvo since it meant a way to improve their lives.

Fiach understood that historically, warfare had been a powerful catalyst in innovations. Since warfare was effectively eliminated, she used the inquisitive minds of the young students to be the catalysts and innovators. The universities provided the resources and financial backing for experimentation. The universal open sharing of knowledge inspired scientific breakthroughs that had taken the real world centuries to make happen in months. A lot of technology became obsolete within a few years. The creative juices were flowing and the young innovators flourished.

In 561 Fiach spent a week in the small cabin in Barmaz to commemorate her 400th birthday. Her hopes for world peace were realized. War had been eliminated. She wasn’t foolish enough to hope the propensity for fighting had been erased from humanity. Greed and the lust for power were still very much parts of the human race. It was a daily task to weed those corrupted by greed and lust out of the general population, a task that would never be done. At the same time the Clan Corvo developed sports and competitive games at all societal levels to channel and focus humanity’s aggressive spirit. Music and art was strongly encouraged and supported at many levels. Everyone was a member of the Clan Corvo, which after 75 years of the end of Operation Harmony, provided a worldwide common identity along with the single merged Celtic-Germanic-Latin melange language.

The world population had grown to 765,000,000. As technology advanced, Fiach stressed that mankind had a responsibility to care for Mother Earth. Factories and mines were required to limit and control pollution. Not doing so was considered treason. Trees were planted wherever possible. Dams were being built to generate electricity and to divert water into canals to water deserts adding farmland and forests. Garbage was composted or otherwise recycled. Roads, railroads, and canals crisscrossed the lands. Primitive automobiles, buses and trucks utilized the roads. Gliders were successfully soaring in the skies and some inventors were installing the primitive internal combustion engines into gliders. Telephones were being strung everywhere with plans to lay cables across the oceans. Large iron and steel steam ships were sailing the seas.

Fiach marveled at the tremendous changes that had taken place since her birth. Fortunately she was able to grasp the basics of most of the technological and scientific advances, and the others she could at least follow the logic. One thing was certain, she was not bored of life! She occasionally wished for more time to herself, but that was a luxury she couldn’t indulge. When the Clan Corvo absorbed the Indian subcontinent they discovered the various practices of the yoga schools in Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism; Fiach studied them all and spent time studying the differing techniques to develop a personal style that fit her. She also became a devotee of Tai Chi. To her amazement, the two techniques enabled her to relax and maintain her physical prowess. They also provided an easey and efficient manner of getting into a meditative state. It amazed her how the techniques helped her understand the various faiths had their own validity, and that once past their walls of exclusivity, they shared many basic truths. Now, thanks to her in depth studies and meditation, she understood the reality of faith. She was ashamed of her past efforts to subdue and replace the many faiths with Corvo Christianity. She was relieved that she realized her errors in pushing Christian exclusivity before it was too late to salvage that which would have been lost to humanity.

Fiach did schedule a weekend a month where she had no traveling or appointments, simply relaxing and meditating in the free time wherever she happened to be. In addition she scheduled the anniversary week of the founding of the Clan Corvo to relax in the mountain cabin above the farmstead of Barmaz as a chance to recenter herself. While the pace of her life was hectic, she easily handled it.

One thing Fiach didn’t miss was her Raben persona. Raben had not made an appearance in a bit over a hundred years. She was glad she’d shelved that identity. As a female it was much easier to be compassionate with her people. She certainly didn’t miss the need to ‘man up’. People found it easier to talk to and even confide in a female. Most importantly, children were unafraid to approach her. She loved hugging and just cuddling with children.

Fiach returned to her near constant travels keeping the Clan Corvo true to it’s purpose of eliminating warfare, greed, corruption and political and religious megalomania. Everyone knew of the Curse she bore, that she was virtually immortal and unchanging yet looked like a prepubescent girl. Her wrath, though seldom triggered, was still legendary. That she cared for the world was undisputed. With the self-centered self-important elite leeching upper classes eliminated, the number of slaves dwindled. The only source of slaves was punishment for crimes. Local jails were used for short term minor incidents like brawls and drunkenness. Prisons {as we know them} did not exist since long term punishments consisted of terms of hard labor slavery. There were few whose sentence was for life. Most were given specific sentences of between 3-10 years. However, their term didn’t start until they openly and sincerely repented and admitted their crime and the error of their lifestyles that led to the crime. While trained psychologists did their best to determine the if the slaves were sincere in their repentance, occasionally some slaves were able to fake their way past the psychologists. As part of her travels, Fiach regularly visited the slaves at their work sites. She did this to give them hope. Using her poweful emphatic abilities, if a slave was truly repentant, and consistently working to the best of their abilities, she could commute their sentence to time served. At the same time if she found a slave had buffaloed the psychologists into thinking they had repented, Fiach would change their status to slavery for life. At the same time, her abilities allowed her to ferret out overseers who were overtly cruel or corrupt, with Fiach determining their sentence to be slaves. All three actions were done publicly before the slaves and overseers so all could see the consequences of their actions. The slaves who had been overseers suffered at the hands of the regular slaves, since they’re terms were served with those they had overseen. That alone greatly reduced sadistic overseers.

The world was at peace. The melange of mainly Celtic/Germanic/Latin with the addition of unique words adopted from many other societies was the language of the Clan Corvo. It had become the world’s first single unifying language. Thousands of scholars were translating the tens of thousands of books, scrolls and manuscripts in the Corvus Scriptorium Library in Champery as well as translating and adding the voluminous written material from China and India to the massive library. Fiach made sure the translations were accurate by having at least a dozen scholars do independent translations. Then the scholars read/verify the translations of the others. Because the definition of many words change with time, they had to be sure to use what the word meant at the time the document was originally written. {Up until the 1960s the word GAY meant someone who was happy and carefree. By 1970 the same word meant someone who was homosexual. Thus in a document written prior to 1960 as compared to a document written after 1970, there was a drastic change in what the word meant. The theme song of THE FLINTSTONES [1960-1966] demonstrates this in the last line of the chorus: “We’ll have a gay old time!” They were not talking about the homosexual meaning.} Finally they met together to review the translations. Differences were ironed out by scholarly comparing the origin of each translation before settling on the most accurate versions. As a precaution, any fervent disagreements in translations were published using the majority opinion translation while the disputed translation was noted in the document’s notes.

Kinks and bottlenecks were being ironed out in the governmental administration. Fiach understood this would be a continuous process since the government had to be responsive to the people and the rapidly changing technology. She firmly believed that government and education, like faith, had to be constantly evolving living entities since both were human centric, serving the people. Laws and rules had to be commonsensical, flexible and broad. An individual’s rights were to be respected. In return an individual had to be responsible for their actions. If a person did not shoulder their responsibilities, some rights could be abrogated. A prime example was a man who fathered children from various women but failed to support them. Once a court determined his guilt, the man’s right to reproduce was abrogated with castration.

As with faith, government was not a one size fits all deal. Due to differences in climate and locations, different aspects had to be emphasized or minimized. The overall governmental outline was the same, but had to be altered to accommodate the various needs of the regions. Just as faiths had to be living, changing and adapting to the times, government and schools had to do likewise.

The biggest challenge facing Corvo University was instilling the ability to accept and adapt to change in the students. Traditions were to be respected but could not be allowed to stifle progress. The Clan Corvo thrived because of it’s ability to change and innovate and to openly disseminate information. Just as important was the ability to report the changes and innovations back to the main Clan Corvo World Government in Barmaz. With the ever changing administrators, neither stagnation nor corruption could get a foothold. The deadly words: “But we always did it this way,” were banned at all levels of Government, faith and education.

With world wide peace, the already daunting rate of change and evolution of concepts and ideas swelled exponentially as scholars from all backgrounds met and exchanged ideas, building off of and expanding the ideas and concepts of others. Innovators were recognized and praised, but never allowed to unduly profit from their creativity. Corvo University supported and encouraged the open communication of ideas and inventions. As a result many new ideas and inventions could easily be outdated in a few short years. Research was certainly fast paced and challenging. Think tank teams were set up, idea people, tinkerers, science, philosophers, engineers and many other specialists worked together to bring forth the new.

One of the benefits of these innovations that Fiach liked was the cleanliness initiatives, started centuries before by the creation of the Rat Patrol and greatly expanded as knowledge grew. The ever increasing standards of cleanliness and hygiene had virtually eliminated the deadly world wide plagues and pandemics. The diseases had not been eradicated, but had been greatly reduced with effective quarantines preventing the illnesses from spreading. Vaccines were developed to eradicate may prolific diseases. Everyone had to be immunized, the only exception allowed was if the immunization would elicit an fatal allergic reaction.

In 563 a natural disaster occurred in the Upper Rhone river valley just 7 miles south of Monthey and 2 2/3 miles south of St. Maurice at the town of Evionnaz on the west bank of the Rhone. The site was the mountain peak l'Aiguille {GM 46.189590, 6.981650}, just 2 1/4 miles northwest of Evionnaz and 5 1/4 miles east of Champery and Corvo University in the valley of the Vieze River just south of the original farmstead of Barmaz. Champery was situated on the northwest mountain ridge above the Vieze. The mountain peak l'Aiguille was the easternmost peak of the mountain ridge situated to the the southeast above the Vieze. The southeast side of that mountain ridge drained into the Torrent de St Barthélemy which in turn flowed into the Rhone. The main watchtower fortress, Tauredunum, was part of the original walled area of Barmaz which was situated on the high ridge above the Rhône. It had been a winter with heavier than normal snowfall with even heavier spring rains.

In April an intermittent ominous groaning/bellowing sound emanated from deep inside the mountain. The noise was heard off and on for more than 60 days, at times echoing 20 miles through the mountain valleys. The locals were unnerved and the local Pathfinder commander ordered the fortifications, towns, villages and farms on the southeastern slopes and in the valley below to the Rhone evacuated as a precaution. On the 60th day the whole eastern hillside split open and with a tremendous earth shaking roar, separated from the mountain. The landslide scoured everything in it’s path. All buildings, fences, roads, paths, fields and forests were swept away with impunity. The cascade of rock and debris was so immense it slid into and over the Rhone river 4600 feet below. The riverbed was totally blocked to heights of 30 feet causing the suddenly swirling damned water to flow backwards. Because of the evacuations, only a handful of people lost their lives.

The location of the landslide was one of the narrowest sections of the fertile flat Upper Rhone river valley, just 1 mile wide at that point. The stoppered water flooded upstream and either submerged and carried away everything which was in the flood path. While the inhabitants and animals of the collapsed area had fled the initial catastrophe, most had gathered in the flat valley. Those upstream were sent fleeing a second time as best they could as the eddying Rhone waters pushed over it’s banks. Everyone came out to gaze in astonishment at the total destruction. Fortunately there were few casualties although the rushed evacuations necessitated the abandonment of personal possessions. The trapped flood waters swirled for several hours as it steadily rose until the accumulated water forced its way over and then through the jumbled rocks and debris of the massive landslide. The power of the pent up water was so great it quickly gouged a wide path and the voluminous escaping waters flooded much of the flat valley north of the landslide. The advance of the wild flood waters was so rapid many humans and animals downstream were swept away to drown, destroying houses, and carrying away and overwhelming nearly everything in it’s violent and unexpected inundation. But even greater devastation soon occurred.

The Upper Rhone empties into Lake Leman {Geneva} and the Lower Rhone river drains it. The lake is in the shape of a crescent, with the horns pointing south, the northern shore being 59 miles and the southern shore 45 miles in length. In a previous but recent geological period the lake extended southeast 11 miles up the Upper Rhone valley to a line near Bex/Monthey. Over the centuries detritus of the Upper Rhône filled up this portion of the bed of the lake. The greatest depth of the lake, in the broad portion between Évian-les-Bains and Lausanne, where it is at it’s maximum width of 8.1 miles, has been measured 1,020 feet deep. The lake is divided into three parts from west to east because of its different forms of formation. Petit Lac, the most south-west, narrower and less deep part starts at the Rhone river’s exit from the lake at Geneva, ran northeast to a line between the towns of Yvoire/Promenthoux is a deep 14 mile long glacial gouge erosion. From there is the 22 mile long Grand Lac, the largest and deepest basin with the lake's greatest width is due to tectonic plate folding. Haut Lac is the eastern most 7 miles of the lake starting at the line of Meillerie–Rivaz is primarily sedimentation.

The impact of the Tauredunum earth shaking landslide destabilized centuries of sedimentary deposits at the mouth of the Upper Rhône where it emptied into the lake. The sudden stop of water into the lake aggravated the destabilization of the earthquake, when the flooded water broke through the landside debris the sudden high powered overwhelming onslaught of water, boulders, dirt and debris caused those underwater sedimentary deposits to catastrophically collapse. The result was a large tsunami. A wave about 52 feet high was created by the collapse, traveling the full length of the lake in 70 minutes. At a height of 43 feet the tsunami wave struck Lausanne in only 15 minutes. The damage there was limited as much of the city stands on a steeply sloping shoreline. Much greater damage was caused at Geneva, where the wave was about 26 feet high. As it exits the lake, the Rhone flows between mountains that hem it in closely and being so closely shut in there was no place for the water to spread out and turn aside. The mass of water was so great that it went over the walls into the city creating mass havoc killing many of the inhabitants. The tsunami occurred quickly with no warning so for those in the path there was no way to escape the inundation. Other towns along the lakeside were also hit by the wave, which would have been about 26 feet high at Evian-les-Bains, 20 feet high at Thonon-les-Bains and 13 feet high at Nyon. The tsunami traveled at about 43 mph, giving those on the shoreline no time to flee.

The Clan Corvo came together, as they did at every natural or manmade disaster, to aid the survivors and begin rebuilding. Members of the Raven Raiders and Pathfinders were the primary disaster relief teams. Regional Disaster Response Centers were located about 150 miles apart around the world in Clan Corvo territory with more being added in the newly acquired areas. Fully equipped response teams could be dispatched within 24 hours of notification of a disaster. Tents, food, medicine blankets, clothing, even animal feed were kept ready for such emergencies.

The unexpected landslide spurred research into geology. Up to this point earth studies had centered on locating mineral resources, underground water, crude oil and natural gas as well as determining safe places to build infrastructure. Landslides, earthquakes and volcanic eruptions were difficult to predict. Could their scientific research result in stabilization measures to secure precarious land forms? If so, each location would need to have it’s individual stabilization needs determined. To do that required careful investigations and analyses, a comprehensive plan to stabilize slopes had to be worked out and implemented. Each plan had to include drainage of excess ground water which could act as a lubricant allowing the overburden to shift. Their postmortem investigation showed that was what had occurred during the Tauredunum event. Another aspect was cutting back overburden material, construction of retaining walls and, most importantly, anchoring of the potential slide rock mass with rock bolts and prestressed cable anchors. From the computations based on potential failure of a rock mass that required stabilization was often found that the destabilizing force was very high and could not be tackled by installing only rock bolts and dressing of the slopes at feasible locations. Therefore, it became necessary to provide prestressed cable anchors of higher load capacities along with other measures. This was especially important in the Vieze river valley, the home campus of Corvo University and it’s massive archives. Steps were implemented to insure the stability of the mountains around the school.

Over the next decades the assimilation of the vast majority of the human race progressed. A few aboriginal peoples wanted to maintain their simple way of life and were allowed to do so. Some of the ‘civilized’ Clan Corvo people wanted to return to a simpler life. The official policy was one of benign attention offering medical expertise when needed as well as aid during natural disasters. The world population now spoke one language. Although preserved, the old languages were rapidly fading. Photography had developed into motion pictures so people speaking outmoded languages were preserved.

Fiach returned to the Barmaz retreat in August of 675, the 500th anniversary of receiving the Curse. She accepted that the state of faith in the Clan Corvo was still in flux and would continue to be so since all faiths were living, changing and adapting to real life. The living Corvoian Christianity was the dominant faith but had incorporated many meditative and physical exercises of Tai Chi and yoga. Her original desire to blend all faiths into Corvoian Christianity had proven to be impossible without serious compromises, deletions or corruptions which would be unacceptable losses for all. However as the years past, most faiths adopted aspects and practices of other faiths such as Tai Chi and yoga.

It had been 220 years since the purveyors of all other flavors of Christianity had been pulled from their pulpits and monasteries to be re-educated. Several aspects of those now defunct beliefs had been incorporated into Corvoian Christianity, improving it. Other aspects that had been considered heresy were kept alive in the knowledge base for reference purposes as well as sources for possible future reconsideration as the living faith evolved. Thus the proscribed beliefs survived in the thorough documentation of the Corvo University School of Religion.

Fiach was successful in molding Corvoian Christianity into a living faith that was capable of constantly adapting to the rapidly changing world. It successfully accommodated the rapid growth of human knowledge and lifestyle changes. Dogma was strongly discouraged while morality was foremost. Corvo Christianity was best summarized by Christ’s admonition that humanity should love God with all their heart, soul and mind and that they should love their neighbors as themselves.

While Fiach believed Corvo Christianity was a true faith and the best faith to commune with the triune God, her life experiences and knowledge also told her that for some people, Christianity in any form simply did not meet their faith needs. For those people, non-Christian faiths had validity and truths so were considered valid and acceptable.

Taoism differed from Confucianism by not emphasizing rigid rituals and social order, but is similar in the sense that it is a teaching about the various disciplines for achieving "perfection" by becoming one with the unplanned rhythms of the universe called "the way" or "dao". Taoist ethics generally tended to emphasize action without intention, naturalness, simplicity, spontaneity, compassion, frugality and humility. The roots of Taoism went back at least to the 4th century BCE. Early Taoism drew its cosmological notions from the School of Yinyang (Naturalists), and was deeply influenced by one of the oldest texts of Chinese culture, the I Ching, which expounds a philosophical system about how to keep human behavior in accordance with the alternating cycles of nature.

With particular emphasis on the importance of the family and social harmony, rather than on an otherworldly source of spiritual values, the core of Confucianism is humanistic. Confucianism regards the secular as sacred. Confucianism transcends the dichotomy between religion and humanism, considering the ordinary activities of human life and especially human relationships as a manifestation of the sacred, because they are the expression of humanity's moral nature, which has a transcendent anchorage in Heaven and unfolds through an appropriate respect for the spirits or gods of the world.

Hinduism is a fusion of various Indian cultures and traditions. Among the roots of Hinduism are the historical Vedic religion of Iron Age India, itself already the product of "a composite of the Indo-Aryan and Harappan cultures and civilizations", but also the renouncer of traditions of northeast India, and mesolithic and neolithic cultures of India, such as the religions of the Indus Valley Civilisation, Dravidian traditions, and the local traditions and tribal religions. This "Hindu synthesis" emerged after the Vedic period, between 500 BCE and 300 CE, the beginning of the preclassical period, and incorporated Buddhist influences and the emerging Bhakti tradition into the Brahmanical fold via the Smriti literature. From northern India this Hindu synthesis, and its societal divisions, spread to southern India and parts of Southeast Asia.

Most Buddhist traditions share the goal of overcoming suffering and the cycle of death and rebirth, either by the attainment of Nirvana or through the path of Buddhahood. Buddhist schools vary in their interpretation of the path to liberation, the relative importance and canonicity assigned to the various Buddhist texts, and their specific teachings and practices. Widely observed practices include taking refuge in the Buddha, the Dharma and the Sangha, observance of moral precepts, monasticism, meditation, and the cultivation of virtues.

The Corvo University School of religion had the writings and rituals of all faiths and rituals documented. All were included in the courses of comparative religion taught in the schools. The priests of each faith were allowed to practice their faiths. What was forbidden for ALL faiths was to condemn other faiths since all were valid. All faiths were expected to respect all other faiths. Anyone pushing exclusionism was quickly shut down. Another tough standard was that human rights trumped Faith. Gender equality was paramount. People were free to be homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, transsexual, genderfluid, asexual or non sexual. While a faith could have beliefs that limited gender expression, they were not allowed to attempt to enforce it. Discrimination of any type was forbidden. People were free to choose their faith or to choose no faith. Any attempt to intimidate or force another person to swear fealty to a faith or follow the tenants of a faith was a major offence punishable by a minimum 5 years in slavery. Everyone had free will.

Time on My Hands
Chapter 75: 675-903 CE: Epilogue

As usual, Fiach traveled to her small cabin above Barmaz for some alone time in August 675 to commemorate the 500th anniversary of receiving The Curse. As night fell she laid back on the high mountain pasture to look up into the cloudless night, where there are so many stars that a person’s shadow could be seen by the starlight. Thousands of sparkling stars filled the heavens. After midnight the Perseid meteors began streaking across the skies, up to 60 an hour at the height of the impressive meteor shower. Idly she wondered if someday humanity could leave the confines of earth. That brought to mind how she could control those who left earth. Would they revert to fighting and warfare? Shaking her head she set her many worries and concerns free, Fiach watched the galactic light show with wonderment and awe at God's display of magnificence.

"May God's blessings be with you, disciple Fiach," a soft yet firm voice greeted.

"Ianuaria, it's good to meet you once more," Fiach responded recognizing the voice and not turning from the dazzling skies to see her mentor. "It's been 390 years since we last met."

"That's just a pittance to a goddess," Ianuaria replied with a chuckle.

"True, but from a human perspective it's a LONG time," Fiach sighed.

"Yes, and despite your concerns and self doubts you are doing well," Ianuaria smiled. "You're using The Curse as it was forged to do. You brought world-wide peace and your continued presence provides continuity and keeps the Clan Corvo on the path God ordained. You not only help others, you foresee future troubles, taking action to save knowledge for humanity."

"I was first and foremost an Ianuarian. I have no choice but to try to help," Fiach confessed. "I still wish Operation Harmony hadn't taken so many lives."

"That you feel grief and take no pleasure in taking lives is what makes you ideal to be the Curse bearer," Ianuaria smiled. "That plus the fact you were a skilled Ianuarian were the reasons I recommended you for receiving ‘The Curse'."

"I'm still trying to decide if you like me or hate me," Fiach chuckled. "It has been a double edged sword."

"The Curse was intended to help humanity," Ianuaria replied. "We knew The Curse holder would have to be strong which is why Marcellus Longinus was initially chosen. Unfortunately, The Curse overwhelmed him and until his death he never used The Curse as it was intended. The fact he voluntarily passed on the Curse is what saved his soul. We wrongly assumed he'd be able to figure out how to use The Curse but he obviously failed. Part of the problem was that as an adult and a legionnaire he was too regimented and inflexible to adjust to the demands of The Curse nor did he comprehend the simple complexity of faith. But he realized you could handle it and God agreed. Your honest compassion for him facilitated the transmission of The Curse. Believe it or not, your present dilemma is do to your inexperience."

"Inexperience? I've carried the Curse for 500 years!" Fiach petulantly huffed.

"Yes, but to those of us who serve God, 500 years is a mere blink of an eye," Ianuaria explained. "You know God is real through your experiences. But God is so much more than humanity and human knowledge. The human mind is incapable of understanding all that God is. Even we angels, his humble and loyal servants can not fully comprehend God. God's love is so all encompassing to feel merely a tiny bit is enough that we, like you, can bask in God's love."

"Humanity has an advantage over we angels who serve God," Ianuaria stated. "Mankind has free will. Each human can accept and believe or deny and not believe. Free will also allows humans to believe in any other faith. Those who don't believe, or can't believe, or who have never heard of Jesus or even the one true God, are judged on their lives. Those who lived evil, reap evil. Those who lived good, reap good. Those in between will be judged by their remorse. No human has the strength of character to continually be good. Despite your best intentions you are unable to be good all the time. God, who experienced human life through Jesus accepts even the best human at times does evil, that doing so is part and parcel of being human. Those who slip and fall away will be welcomed upon their return to the fold. Those who died before Jesus were judged the same way."

"If the Scriptures are true," Fiach pondered "All humanity should accept Jesus as our savior and worship the one true God. Yet I find truths in the other faiths that are different and see no way they can be reconciled with Christianity."

Ianuaria laughed. "That is because all truths are by their very nature true!"

"Now you're confusing me," Fiach sighed.

"God is all things to everything," Ianuaria answered. "If we say God is the number 10, what is the question? 5+5? 4+6? 3+2+4+1? 8+9-7? 20÷2? 3x2+4? Or it could be an infinite number of other possibilities, some quite complicated. Yet they are all true! None are wrong! Yet each is different. Each follows a different path, a different way of reasoning, to get to the same result, yet those paths are not always simple, clear and compatible. God is so vast that there are innumerable ways to worship. God realized the Jews were making more and more laws and regulations concerning their faith in God. God saw those man made rules and laws were keeping the Jews from connecting with God. He tried to simplify things by sending Jesus to break the rules and show an easier, simpler way to God. Many people who heard Jesus assumed he was showing them THE way to God. However Jesus was merely showing an easier and simpler way to God while not negating the other ways. The truth is that Jesus wanted to reform Judaism, not start a new faith. You know all people are different. That wide diversity of humanity requires more than one path to God, Each person needs to find their OWN route to God, they need to find their own truths. Unfortunately, many are incapable of doing so on their own. They must depend on others to show them the path and lead them to God, "

"Fiach, you are doing a fantastic job of not allowing faith to become religious," Ianuaria explained. "The Scriptures of every faith were INTENDED to be the divinely inspired words of God. However those Godly words were heard, understood and recorded by humans and all humans are flawed. Human understanding is predicated on and influenced by that person's life experiences and knowledge. That means the true words of God recorded in the scriptures of every faith have inaccuracies. In addition, none of the various Scriptures were written down immediately. They went through a period of verbal transmission before being recorded which further muddied the Divine words. Human memory distorts over time as do stories verbally passed on. Those caveats in no way lessen the morality or lessons of the many Scriptures. But they do present a powerful case for a personal relationship with God rather that an institutional mediated relationship. The key is faith, which is mankind reaching upward to God in worship and supplication. Religion is humanity trying to pull God down to mankind then caging and limiting God with manmade rules and requirements in a misguided effort to make their lives better at the expense of non believers. They ignore the truth that by God's very nature, God can never be contained or controlled. God will never fit inside a box. The responsibility of a follower of any faith is to love God with all their mind, soul and body. By extension, if they love God they love all creation and therefore love one another as they would love themselves, sharing and guiding others in the faith of God, whatever it may be. Jesus spoke against the Pharisees and Sadducees for enforcing manmade rules on how to worship and limiting approaches to God. You stopped the Christian Church from doing that. Your endeavor to make all faiths a unified living faith that changes with the world is an impossible task for any human. Because God gave humanity free will, even God in all His power and glory, has not been able to find a one fits all solution. Humanity also has a habit of making minor differences into insurmountable mountains. They lose the true message in the myriad often nit-picking rules they invent. Even worse is forcing or coercing people to worship God. Doing so is wrong. God gave humanity free will which means no human has the right to interfere with free will, especially by trying to force a system of beliefs in God that are not compatible with their sense of self."

“But that’s exactly what I set out to do with Operation Harmony,” Fiach sighed nearly overwhelmed with guilt.

“Yes, but you quickly realized doing so was not right and backed off enforcing any single faith. In fact, you’ve developed a respect for all faiths and have the priests trained to respect other faiths,” Ianuaria smiled. “You’ve validated the truths of the many faiths and require mutual respect between faiths and forbid any faith to declare itself the one true faith.”

“I’m far from all knowing and am not afraid to say so,” Fiach nodded. “I’ve learned to insist that all faiths are living and ever changing, just as the government and education are living, constantly adapting entities.”

“God is delighted with your actions,” Ianuaria smiled. "The so called old gods, those of the Romans, Greeks, Egyptians, Norse, German, Mayan and innumerable others, myself included, have always been ultra-loyal retainers of the one God. The abilities God granted us made us appear as mini-gods to humans. Because they could at times see us and our limited powers we were simpler and easier for humanity to accept. Humanity was not emotionally or intellectually ready for the concept of one all powerful God. We have since willingly subsumed our mini godhood back into the reality of the one true God," Ianuaria informed Fiach. "That does not mean we will disappear. We still willingly assist and serve God."

“One stumbling block for me is Satan,” Fiach stated. “Isn’t Satan a fallen angel? And how can angel, an ultra loyal retainer, betray God?”

“Now you ask a very difficult question,” Ianuaria sighed. “Just because we are God’s angels doesn’t mean we can’t be jealous... of God’s power, of each other, but mostly of humanity. Your innocense is refreshing, your free will envy inducing, even your short life spans are enviable. Satan and those who joined him were tired of being at God’s beck and call, they wanted free will, they wanted greater power. Over time their grumbling and discontent grew. God knew they were growing restless but also knew they could not break free nor overpower him so he rebuked them. They quieted down but were angered by their scolding. Then Satan discovered a way to cause God’s pets, humanity, to fall away. Then he set out to tear mankind from God.”

“An angel can not lie,” Ianuaria continued. “But we don’t have to tell the whole truth. Satan realized he could corrupt mankind with half truths, telling them what they wanted to hear while omitting what the didn’t want to hear. The Satan influenced humans encouraged the growth of religion not realizing doing so was done at the expense of faith. That lead to the religious leaders to make more rules limiting access to God. They told the followers of God they could not talk to God, that they were too corrupted to face God and live. They said the only way they could get right with God was to go through them, that they were the intermediators between the ALMIGHTY GOD and humanity. That, because of their righteousness, they were the only ones who could face God and live. They were erecting walls to keep God away from the masses. Satan and those like him encouraged humanity to corrupt faith with religion. When God discovered their duplicity he stripped them of their powers and cast them into the fires of purgatory. They discovered ways to escape, but all escapes were temporary as their immortality was chained to hell. They would be sucked back to hell. But they could reach earth and continue to corrupt humanity. They could tell their half truths while never lying. That’s what makes them so dangerous.”

FIach frowned. “So why can’t God just zap them out of existence?”

“It’s not that easy”, Ianuaria sighed. “Satan and his ilk are fallen angels... but they’re still angels. The manner in which we were created ties us irrevocably together. The only way God can destroy the fallen angels is to destroy every angel. That is a price God does not want to pay.”

‘So humanity is stuck with the temptations foisted upon us by Satan and his ilk,” Fiach nodded. “That means a major part of The Curse is to keep Satan from corrupting humanity. Now that you’ve brought it up, I can see that the vast majority of my Curse imbued actions have been with humans under Satan’s influence! Satan corrupted the Pharisees and Sadducees as well as the Popes and others in positions of religious leaderships who crossed the line from faith to religion. He made political leaders greedy and power hungry which led to warfare. Heck, Satan almost corrupted me into thinking I could make Corvo Christianity a one fits all faith! I almost fell victim to Satan! Fortunately I realized my error and accepted there was more than one way to worship God. I ruined those Satan infused corruptions and my continual traveling has prevented Satan from regaining any serious footholds in humanity. That knowledge is quite humbling.”

"Your humility is gratifying,” Ianuaria smiled. “Fiach, you lead the Clan Corvo to keep TRUE faith alive, like a strong tree that bends in the wind but does not break. Barmaz is the lighthouse guiding souls to true salvation. You have been my disciple since your first independent thoughts. You are a healer. I am a healer who is a disciple of Jesus. Jesus is a healer so that makes you a true disciple of Jesus. That is why you were driven to learn all you could about Jesus. With him at your side, you've become a better healer. While many died during Operation Harmony, the number who died were far fewer than if you had left humanity continue on as they lived in the past. Operation Harmony literally saved millions of lives and the resultant peace and progress continues to save people every day."

"Considering all the faiths and beliefs we have recorded, I have formulated some weird theories about God," Fiach confessed. "In every one God always appears somewhat anthropomorphic. But since we are human that is natural, it is what we understand. What if our entire concept of God is flawed?"

“Of course your concept of God is flawed,” Ianuaria smiled. “Humanity is flawed, but that is what makes you so endearing. Despite their flaws, humans are driven to find perfection. You can find beauty in everything that exists. You can find love in hate. Humanity is the creation that makes God smile.”

"Okay," Fiach nodded as she pondered what Ianuaria said. "That means it's time to think outside the box of humanity. Nearly every faith idealizes humanity as a reflection of God, that we were made in God's image. But is that because we are so conceited that we assume everything has to relate to us? Can we even assume God incorporates both male and female attributes? Can we even assume that God is some type of supreme entity?"

"Keep going," Ianuaria chuckled.

"All the faiths believe God created the world and all that is in it," Fiach reasoned. "It makes sense that God created everything we can see and feel. But if God is all encompassing and humanity is flawed living in frail bodies, are there things we can't see or feel? That leads to wondering where God comes from? If God created everything, who or what created God???? I think I'm getting a headache!"

"And well you should," Ianuaria commiserated. "We steadfast servants of God certainly can not answer those questions."

Fiach frowned as she massaged her aching temples. "Then how can I or anyone else answer those questions?"

"Only humans ask that question. Neither myself or any of God's other servants has suggested you can find the answers to the question of God," Ianuaria replied. "That is why we term the myriad beliefs of God as FAITH. By God's very nature, it's an unanswerable question."

Fiach shook her head in frustration. "Okay, then why am I struggling to reconcile the various faiths?"

"You seek a unifying answer about God to help humanity," Ianuaria answered. "Think on this, you enjoy sitting on this mountain watching the heavens and pondering God. You revel in love and the natural beauty and symmetry of the world. But there are humans who get no joy from those things. Some people love wine and hate mead, others love mead and hate wine, some love or hate both."

"That's what humanity is all about," Fiach sighed. "What appeals to some is hated by others. Huh! Maybe that is the answer. Humanity is too diverse for a one fits all solution for having a single faith in God! Since the time Jesus walked the earth some could not accept his divinity and those of us who do, can offer no concrete irrefutable evidence. It is simply a matter of faith! Those who believe in reincarnation, like the Hindu and Buddhists, can not accept Jesus is divine just as many Christians can't accept reincarnation or that living a life of piety and humility can end the cycle of death and rebirth. The disparate faiths exist so every humans can find a faith in God that fits them! God is so vast and all encompassing all things are possible! It is impossible for humanity to box in God!"

"That's why God loves you!” Ianuaria enthused. “When God created myself, my siblings, my cousins and our ilk, we were designed for a purpose and our nature allows no deviation, we have no free will," Ianuaria explained. "We are dependant upon God for all we happily do. God has prescribed our existence and fate and we can not deviate from his goals without severe consequences. Best of all, with the exception of Satan and his ilk, we are happy and content with our existence."

"But humanity has free will," Fiach nodded. "We can think for ourselves. We are aware of and in awe of God. Yet we can thumb our nose at God. Humanity has developed science and collected knowledge so we can manipulate and hopefully improve our existence."

"Humanity pleases God," Ianuaria added. "Yes, some do terrible things and boldly defy God. But the majority try to help each other and make human life better. God knew exactly what every bit of creation would do until humanity developed self awareness, free will and intelligence. Now God marvels at human agility and inspiration."

"So the best the Corvo University School of Religion can do is to foster the different and often variant faiths since, in their own way, each is derived from the same supreme God," Fiach reasoned. “That means we need to rename the Corvo University of Religion. As soon as I leave here, I’ll change the name to the Corvo University School of Faith. We humans simply have to accept that God is vast enough to cover them all. At least I've been on the right path fostering understanding, respect and tolerance between the faiths. No unified faith will fit all people, we need them all to begin to understand God's love!"

"Exactly! The day of your birth I felt compelled to be present," Ianuaria declared. "I had no idea why. You certainly surprised your foster mother Erminlinda. After your brothers were born, you were almost an afterthought. It was due to Erminlinda's skills as an Ianuarian that you survived. She knew your birth mother was clearly too far gone to be able to assist in your birth. I watched through Erminlinda's eyes as she settled between your mother's legs to begin to massage her deflated tummy in an effort to manipulate you from the womb. It took fifteen minutes until your tiny body began to emerge. Your mother delivered at 7 months. Your brothers were small, only two thirds the size of normal full term babies. You were only half the normal size. When your tiny body finally emerged your arms and legs feebly flailed but you never took a breath and began turning blue. At first your foster mother was ready to accept you would not survive."

"Then she noted your emerald green eyes were open and intently watching her," Ianuaria continued. "I could feel she made an instant connection with you. Gently she placed her open mouth over your tiny nose and mouth and tenderly puffed a breath to inflate your lungs. Raising her head she cautiously pressed your tiny chest to expel the air. I watched in awe as Erminlinda fought to save you. Slowly your blue tinge morphed toward a healthy color. The entire time you stared into her eyes. After ten minutes you hiccupped then began a faint but undeniable cry."

"Needless to say the women assisting as well as myself were awed by your will to live," Ianuaria added. "But we also knew that premature babies as small as your brothers had a rough path to survival. No one had ever heard of, much less seen a baby as small as you survive for more than a few days. The entire clan was surprised your young mother had carried triplets, a true rarity. The village elders were not happy. It was the village's responsibility to assist fatherless children and widowed mothers. But two babies, undersized and premature at that, would put a strain on their resources. It was almost begrudgingly that they shouldered the burden. However committing to raise you, the fragile third baby, a great deal smaller than the other two, caused them to grumble and complain."

"Upon hearing their mutters, Erminlinda knew that a day or so after she left the village you would ‘mysteriously’ cease breathing," Ianuaria stated. "Such was common practice for infants deemed unfit and unable to eventually contribute to the clan's well being. Since Erminlinda was the well respected clan Ianuarian, she went to the village elders telling them that while you were small and weak, your spirit was strong, stronger than any she'd ever seen. I had to agree with her. I had never seen such a powerful spirit in such a frail undersized newborn. Then she told them that since she breathed life into your near stillborn arrival, she would accept raising you as her own."

"Naturally this surprised the elders and myself," Ianuaria added. "Obviously, just as I sensed you had great potential, Erminlinda sensed that you were special. Over the years I watched in amazement as you grew. Your inquisitiveness and need to help others grew stronger each day. You learned to be a skilled Ianuarian simply by watching your foster mother and asking penetrating questions. You seemed to intuitively know what needed to be done. You were able to sense which plants and herbs would be beneficial and even how they could be used. Your skills grew to exceed your foster mother. Your empathy was unparalleled. In all the eons of my being the god of healing I never saw a more natural human healer."

"At the same time you observed all creation," Ianuaria stated. "You observed the fauna as well as the flora. Well before your age peers began to hunt, you were doing so. By the time of the slave raid you were the most accomplished hunter in your clan. Somehow you intuitively combined your knowledge of healing as well as your minute observations of how animals moved to maximized your physical abilities and self control so that despite your obvious small size you could run for hours, climb trees like a squirrel, scramble up rocks like a goat, strike with the speed of a snake and the accuracy of a falcon."

"Then God summoned me," Ianuaria sighed. "I'd been in God's presence before but I'd never been summoned to God's presence. Even though I am an angel, I was intimidated. God asked if I was aware of The Curse of Jesus and it's human carrier. I was vaguely aware of The Curse but had no idea what it was or who had The Curse. God explained the purpose of The Curse then asked if I thought you might be a suitable bearer for The Curse. I thought of your life and realized you would be the perfect human to match The Curse so I replied that in my opinion you would be the best human to carry The Curse. Of course I had no idea what was involved with transferring The Curse and I never suspected you would be the one to use The Curse of Jesus to change the course of humanity."

"I already knew you were unique and special," Ianuaria concluded. "My heart broke as I watched the slavers crucify Erminlinda. I was devastated to watch you bravely ease her death despite how it tore you apart. Then you did the impossible, you saved your people and voluntarily took on The Curse. The Curse enhanced all your natural abilities. It was only then I realized you were indeed the one God had ordained to use The Curse for the good of humanity and all creation."

"I still wonder if I'm really up to responsibilities of The Curse," Fiach sighed.

"Let me reassure you," Ianuaria declared. "God is delighted with what you've accomplished and trusts you to persevere. You were not born into Christianity, but were raised with the knowledge of the Gods of your Germans and Celtic forefathers. Christianity intrigued you and you sought out all you could to learn of Jesus and the triune God. You created and continue to create a synthesis of beliefs that gives you unique insights."

Fiach thought for a few moments. “But wouldn’t it have been better to let Jesus live and lead by example?”

“No, Jesus had to die,” Ianuaria explained. “His purpose was to show humanity God’s true love by sending his son to humanity. God realized the Satan corrupted priests control over the rituals involved in making blood sacrifices to God was tearing believers away from faith in God to ritual religion which destroys true faith. The human Jesus had to die as a ONE time sacrifice for humanity’s ongoing sins despite his also being God. That ended the need for traditional blood sacrifices destroying the power of the corrupted priests. Also, by Jesus living a human life, God knew first hand of the trials and tribulations of being human. Jesus showed us humanity can overcome temptations and sins. Jesus had access to God’s full powers but only utilized healing by faith to prove faith was real. If Jesus had used other heavenly powers, humanity would have worshiped him ignoring his message of love. The Christian Church you subsumed was rapidly becoming a dogma laden Cult to Jesus. The priests were insisting the common people could only reach God through their mediation.”

“The Curse of Jesus was meant to create what you have become, a human who can be wounded and even killed but return to life to serve as a living example of God’s power,” Ianuaria said. “But you have no other Divine powers nor do you claim to have Divine powers so there is no reason for people to worship you. God also determined the Curse holder had to be able to kill in combat without utilizing Divine power. Your ability to heal others, while outstanding, is limited to human abilities. You have no Divine healing abilities. While you are extraordinary, you are clearly human. As a living Methuselah, you show people God does give eternal life.”

Fiach frowned for a moment. “So, does that mean since Methuselah died at 969 years old, I’ll do the same?”

“To my understanding that’s not God’s plan,” Ianuaria smiled. “Are you tired of your long life?”

“At times, yes,” Fiach acknowledged. “It hurts to watch those I love age and die. Am I really so great a cog in God’s plans?”

“Yes, you are important,” Ianuaria assured Fiach. “To be honest, God trusts you. You experienced much through your long life. Those experiences make you the person you are. The person who brought mankind together and brought peace and prosperity. You encourage new ideas and inventions as well as love for your fellow man and represent the ideal for humanity’s dominion over the earth. You recall the chaos of humanity, the warfare and diseases. Except for you there is no one livivng who experienced those things. You are needed as a living repository of the past and the guiding light of the future.”

“Well, then I guess I’ll continue to live,” Fiach smiled weakly. “Just promise me, if I ever stop being a help for God’s plans, that I will die.”

“That I can promise,” Ianuaria smiled. “But neither myself or God forsee that as ever happening. Your wisdom is too great for that to happen.”

Ianuaria and Fiach sat side by side watching the heavenly fireworks simply taking solace in their silent companionship. As the first streaks of dawn hide the stars, Fiach felt Ianuaria slip away.

After a week of solitude, a much refreshed Fiach leapt back into the hectic life of the Matriarch of the Clan Corvo. Round and round the world she traveled letting people see her and providing guidance and visiting schools. The ever changing rota of administrators were keeping the Clan Corvo functioning smoothly. The governing and faith systems were not cast in stone having been designed to maintain flexibility to meet the ever changing needs of an ever changing world. The issues of the various faiths settled down to mutual respect, tolerance and assistance. The Corvo University School of Faith made sure priests of all faiths had a solid overview of each faith and stressed that no faith was better than another. Even more important, all priests were taught to live their lives with humility. Anyone who failed to do so was ejected from the program or yanked from their position if in the field. While they were allowed to think their chosen personal faith was the best, the mere idea of one faith for all of humanity being supreme to others was considered arrogant conceit and not tolerated. The bottom line was that God was big enough for all faiths.

While things were going well, the success of world peace created issues. Fiach had a lot to contemplate and utilized the philosophers and sociologists at Corvo University assist her deliberations. By 675 the population of the world had reached 3,525,000,000. While the technical advancements and plant and animal breeding were adequately supplying the nutrition needed, Fiach realized the need to institute population controls was rapidly approaching. If population growth was left unchecked, in the next 100 years the population would grow to over 14,000,000,000! It would be difficult if not impossible to maintain their standard of living and feed everyone.

One thing Fiach had to guard against was the accumulation of wealth and power by individuals and groups. Political and economic power fostered greed and corruption. No matter what their life circumstances, everyone was considered equal. No one was allowed to become elite dictating the way others should behave or how they should live their lives. Those who pushed to become elite and groups who wanted to gather more power and control over others were rooted out, split up and relocated to new areas where they would be powerless and alone.

Starting in 540, the end of Operation Harmony, year by year the range of Fiach's empathetic abilities had grown about 3 miles a year. By 675 she could ‘feel' anyone driven by greed or thirsting for power within a range of 405 miles. Most were frustrated and harmless but some presented dangers to society. Fiach made sure they were promptly dealt with. The frustrated and harmless were counseled while those who presented dangers were relocated and if necessary isolated. A few were sentenced to slavery.

During the next century new inventions continued at breakneck paces. The petrochemical age blossomed, matured and partially faded. Electricity revolutionized the world. But even more mind boggling was the digital age of electronics and the emergence of computers and the internet. Propellor and jet airplanes became a part of normal life. Rockets were regularly heading into outer space to launch satellites for communication, earth observation, and astronomy. They were preparing to launch a space station as the first step to manned space exploration. Wind turbines produced power as did solar panel arrays. Submersible generators were being developed to harness the power of tides. Nuclear power from the fission of radioactive materials was developed but was kept limited due to the radiation risk. Nuclear bombs were developed and rocket delivery systems built as a precaution against possible alien encounters. Lasers were developed along with multiple uses. Radio and television provided virtually instantaneous communication around the world. Personal computers and the internet grew to epic proportions. Music and art flourished.

In North Africa, the Qattara depression consists of 7570 square miles with an average depth below sea level of 200 feet starting 34 miles south of the Mediterranean in western Egypt. A large canal was constructed between the depression and the Mediterranean. The water flow into the depression was used to generate huge amounts of electricity. The slowly accumulating water in the arid desert depression would easily evaporate putting more moisture into the air which in turn increased the rainfall in the middle east. The size of the canal and depression coupled with the rate of evaporation meant it would be centuries before it filled, if it ever did.

In addition, the Dead sea was drying up due to tapping the Jordan River for irrigation. The Arabah valley is 103 miles in length, from the Gulf of Aqaba to the southern shore of the Dead Sea.
Topographically, the region is divided into three sections. From the Gulf of Aqaba northward, the land gradually rises over a distance of 48 miles reaching a height of 750 feet above sea level, which represents the watershed divide between the Dead Sea and the Red Sea. From this crest, the land slopes gently northward over the next 46 miles to a point 9 miles south of the Dead Sea. In the last section, the Arabah drops steeply to the Dead Sea, which is 1,368 feet below sea level. Starting at the end of the Gulf of Aqaba a sea level canal/tunnel was constructed heading through and under the mountains towards the dead sea. When the altitude of the land grew too high to cut the channel, a 10 meter diameter tunnel was bored through the mountains into the Jordan Rift Valley. Vertical 3 meter tunnels were bored every half mile to provide air circulation and a means of emergency access and egress for the tunnel. At the exit above the dead sea a staircase-like series of hydroelectric plants were built. The flow of water from Aqaba would be controlled to first reach then maintain the level of the Dead Sea at 1368 feet below sea level. In addition, the generated electricity was used to desalinize some of the salt water from Aqaba to use for irrigating crops.

The following century saw nuclear power plants undergo a revolution with the development of fusion reactors. The radioactive dangers of fission reactors was eliminated and all were dismantled. Fusion reactors were built along the sea coasts. The electricity was used to operate large desalinization plants providing water for cities and to irrigate crops. Deserts near the seas around the world bloomed becoming green.

Work weeks for most people were reduced to 3 - 8 hour workdays and anyone who had worked 30 years was eligible for full retirement. Leisure activities abounded. But as was standard practice in the Clan Corvo, everyone capable of work did so. Unless they had earned retirement by working 30 years or were physically incapacitated, no one was allowed to freeload on the effort of others. Those capable but unwilling to work were shipped off to isolated areas where they worked or starved.

In 903, Fiach spent the 700th anniversary of the founding of the Clan Corvo and her 742 birthday in the cabin above the farmstead of Barmaz. Her emphatic ability range had increased to 1089 miles. The Clan Corvo had total political control of humanity. The world wide government and the multiple faiths were keeping the Clan Corvo living in harmony with God, nature and each other. The key was maintaining flexibility since the government, schools and faith were living entities. This is not to say that humanity didn't have problems. Murder and theft still occurred as did bullying. But the schools, faiths, and government instilled a high degree of morality and stressed people were responsible for their actions. It was expected that someone who did wrong would confess and accept punishment. Anyone who covered the misdeeds of another or hid the perpetrator was considered as guilty as the perpetrator and punished accordingly. Participation in any sort of code of silence was a public anathema. Everyone had rights, but they also had responsibilities. Failure to take responsibility for one’s actions meant the forfeiture of some or even all of their rights.

Dozens of manned space stations orbited around earth with 4 orbiting Mars. There were 5 bases on the moon and one on Mars. Fiach had expanded her travel itinerary to visit the moon and Mars. Exploratory probes had surveyed all the planets and their moons as well as most of the asteroids and comets. Some asteroids were being mined. On earth most internal combustion engines had been replaced by electric motors. Nuclear Fusion Power plants had replaced all nuclear fission power plants. Together with solar, wind, tide and hydroelectric dams, they produced 99% of the world’s energy needs. {In our reality massive atmospheric pollution began with the commercialization of coal during the transition from agriculture to industry beginning around 1760 and lasting 260 years to the present. Because of the rapid technical and scientific developments, the dangerous air pollution of our reality was drastically reduced.}

Exploration efforts were not limited to outer space. Underwater domes enabled people to live and work below the waves. Kelp, seaweed and fish farming significantly added to the world’s food supply. Even underwater mining was flourishing.

A fledgling but promising new technology was being explored. This involved matter transmission or teleporting over distances. The scanning of an object, disassembling it into it’s fundamental nuclear components, then transmitting those components to another location where they were reassembled. So far they had succeeded in transmitting small quantities of nonorganic material from earth to the moon. They were making progress on organic plant matter, but as of yet had not been able to transport living matter and have it arrive still alive. But the people working on it were hopeful they could overcome the issue to eventually transport people and even replicate matter from a stored component map.

Medical science advanced finding cures for most diseases. Genetic engineering eliminated many other conditions. Replacement clone organs could be grown for those in need of a transplant eliminating rejection. Even replacement limbs could be grown. Fiach briefly thought about cloning a child but quickly shut those thoughts down. If she did it, many others would want to do so. In addition, she feared watching her child age and die while she continued unchanged.

With ongoing mostly voluntary population relocations, the various races intermarried and interbred. Everyone was a nephew or niece of Fiach. Voluntary population control had taken place as the schools, faiths, and government supported zero population growth. The population hovered around 10,000,000,000.

Fiach was finally able to slow down. Video media connected humanity bringing Fiach into every home, business and public space. She appeared on dozens of shows as a commentator and pundit. Whenever issues arose, Fiach would publicly address them. Via teleconferences she simultaneously taught massive seminars in dozens of University classrooms around the world and even off world. Every other week she held Q&A seminars. The government and faiths were still flexible and living as Fiach demanded. Fiach finally accepted the title of Clan Corvo Matriarch, head of the government and all faiths. However her lifestyle remained humble and simple. She still traveled the world but at a slower pace thanks to jet aircraft so she could enjoy the modern yet simple lifestyle she had brought to humanity. However she could not retire. For The Curse to continue being effective in maintaining world peace she had to physically visit the members of the Clan Corvo. Her love for humanity had to be physically displayed and felt by humanity.

This is not the end of Time on My Hands, but it is the end of the documentation on this alternative universe.