"Only God can choose a man's death," Venator replied vaguely.

"I rather think luck plays a heavy role."

"A waste, a terrible waste."

"At least your goods are safely hidden," said Severus. "And those

escaping sailors will tell the scholars of the Empire what we did here."

"No," said Venator shaking his head. "No one will believe the fanciful

tales of ignorant seamen." He turned and gazed back at the low hills in

the distance. "It will remain lost for all time."

"Can you swim?"

Venator's eyes returned to Severus. "Swim?"

"I'll give you five of my best men to cut a passage to the water if you

think you can reach the ship."

"I . I'm not certain." He studied the waters of the river and the

widening gap between the ship and shoreline.

"Use a piece of debris for a raft if you have to," Severus said harshly.

"But hurry, we'll all be meeting our gods in a few more minutes."

"What about you?"

"This hill is as good a place as any to make a stand."

Venator embraced the centurion. "God be with you."

"Better he walk with you."

Severus turned and swiftly selected five soldiers who were unwounded and

ordered them to protect Venator on their run for the river. Then he

went about the business of re-forming his ravaged unit for a final

defense.

The few legionaries clustered around Venator- Then they made their dash

for the river, shouting, and hacking their way through a loose line of

startled barbarians. They cut and slashed like madmen on a bloody

rampage.

Venator was exhausted beyond feeling, but his sword never hesitated, his

step never faltered. He was a scholar who had become an executioner. He

was long past the point of no return. There was only grim stubbornness

left now; any fear of dying had disappeared.

They fought through the mad whirl of fiery heat. Venator could smell

the odor of burnt flesh. He threw off another shred of his tunic and

covered his nose and mouth as they fought through the smoke.

The soldiers went down, protecting Venator to their last breath.

Suddenly his feet were in the water, and he sprang forward, diving the

instant it rose above his knees. He glimpsed a spar that had fallen

free of a burning ship and feverishly paddled toward it, not daring to

look back.

The soldiers still on the bluff countered everything that was thrown at

them. The barbarians dodged and chanted defiance while probing for a

weak spot in the Roman defenses. Four times they grouped in mass

formations and charged, and four times they were hurled back, but not

before they took down a few more of the exhausted legionaries. The

square became a small knot as the few survivors closed ranks and fought

shoulder to shoulder. Bloody heaps of dead and dying carpeted the land,

their blood flowing in streams down the slopes. And still the Romans

resisted.

The battle had been raging without let-up for nearly two hours, but the