Ferox had to concentrate to get any further. The wall, what was left of it, started to narrow because he had reached the level of one of the chambers, but most of the floor had gone.

‘Taranis!’ Vindex hissed.

‘Copy me,’ Ferox called and hoped that they heard. He stood up, arms spread wide for balance and started to walk along the top of the wall. The stone beneath his feet wobbled, slipped to the side an inch and then held, so he kept going, trying to keep steady, although the last few steps were faster and faster, and as another block gave way he leaped, felt himself falling, thought he was short and then slammed into the side of the floor and the fill beneath it. His elbows were on top, and breathing hard because he had winded himself, he managed to haul himself up.

‘Daft bugger!’ Vindex was squatting before the narrow strip of wall.

‘Get the ladder!’ Ferox shouted. ‘We can use it as a bridge.’ The jump was longer, now that the block had fallen away and taken some others with it, and he did not think anyone would make it.

Vindex stared at the gap, shook his head in dismay, but told Bran who was behind him and who in turn called back. Ferox saw an arched doorway beside the back wall, which must lead into the next chamber along. Otherwise there were broken fragments of a light ballista, a few bolts and not much else in what was left of the room. He went to the door, drawing his sword, but keeping to the side until the others came up. It gave him a clear view of the defenders’ improvised rampart. As he watched, a legionary thrust to kill one of the Nicopolitans, then pulled himself over the parapet. Another man came to the top of his ladder, and the first one stamped forward, punching with his scutum to knock a defender off the walkway. The falling man screamed, even though the drop was not far. Another Nicopolitan came from the legionary’s right side, hacked hard into the man’s shoulder, knocking him to his knees whether or not he had broken through the armour. Then he spun and slashed at the one on the ladder, a huge blow that went under the cheek guards and sliced through the man’s neck. The headless torso, blood pumping, clung to the top of the ladder, then dropped back, knocking down the legionary behind. By this time the one on the wall was surrounded, blocking only some of the blows raining down. His shield was shattered and soon he lay still, until they lifted the corpse and tipped it back off the walkway. Other ladders were up against the rampart, but Ferox could see no Roman on top, let alone any real sign of a breakthrough. Trumpets were sounding, as more legionaries came up to support the first cohort.

‘Here!’ Vindex had the ladder, and was reaching forward with it. Ferox went over, managed to catch the end, and took more of the weight as it was pushed towards him. They laid it down, and it spanned the gap well enough, even if it looked flimsy. Bran pushed past Vindex, and almost tipped them both off the wall, as Ferox stood on the end to weight it down. The young warrior licked his lips, then walked forward, crossing quickly.