moat well-planted with sharpened stakes. The scouts reported that the tribes were on the move and approaching our position gradually. Why they take such a circuitous route is unknown, perhaps they think to confuse us as to the timing of their attack. According to my commander these barbarians still use chariots not only to travel about the countryside but also in battle.
The night after my arrival they struck, taking down one of our sentinels with the long spear. In response we loosed a volley of pitch but hit nothing. Their warriors seemed to fade into the mist, giving up their attack easily but my brothers assure me this is a feint on their part to discover where our men are concentrated along the wall.
Just prior to the first light of dawn the attack began in earnest, the naked warriors aiming their javelins with uncanny accuracy. The gods though, were with us, and we lost no one and inflicted great injury on our foes. The attack was brief and the Picti soon fled, leaving their dead and wounded on the field.
After dawn broke, the primipilus sent a party of men, I among them, to collect the bodies and dispatch any wounded left behind. The first savage I came upon appeared to be breathing in short, agonized gasps. His body was badly burned and his face seemed to have melted yet still he struggled to live. I grasped what hair he still had, preparing to slit his throat and end his agony when his body arched and spasmed and he surrendered his life. I called to Decimus and together we carried the body over to the growing pile.
We covered the remains with pitch and lighted it with torches. Once it took hold the bodies began to shift as they burned. What happened next, though incredible, I swear by the gods to be true.
The dead warriors, some in flames, rose to their feet and began to walk about the battlefield. More than just walk, they attacked with open mouths and grasping hands, biting and clawing as if to make a meal of us. Amazed, we were slow to defend ourselves but did finally go into formation and beat them back, striking them what should have been death blows but having little effect. Every time we knocked one to the ground, he rose again to attack.
A flaming figure rushed me. It was the same warrior I had watched die. Skin crisping and peeling he took me to the ground and I stabbed him to no effect, only just managing to hold off that ravenous mouth. I did finally get to my feet and threw him, by chance, into the moat where he was impaled on the sharpened stakes. Even then he did not die but wriggled impotently to get free while the stakes held him fast.
A cursed savage bit Decimus, taking a piece of flesh with his foul teeth and Decimus flew into one of his battlefield rages. He sliced through the Picti knocking them down then hacking off their heads. Even after sundering them thus, the mouths continued to bite desperately and Decimus stomped the skulls to foul-smelling shards. We soon dealt thus with the rest.
Decimus and several others now lie ill with vomiting and chills that make their bodies cold to touch. The medicus has never seen this before but attributes it to the bites all the men sustained. I fear greatly for their lives and we have made sacrifice to the gods for their recovery.
The blue warrior I spoke of before remains pierced by the stakes in the moat. Despite seemingly mortal wounds he lives and we watch to see how long he can continue thus. In the meantime we go about our task of building the wall to keep these monsters out. I must say that the sight of this dreadful creature, writhing and clicking his teeth hungrily, is a most encouraging incentive to completing our work thoroughly yet quickly.
Researchers note: Legion II Augusta was relieved of duty the following year, A.D. 128, after the commander requested reinforcements due to high casualties in skirmishes along the wall. Indeed, casualties were so high that a special investigation was launched. The 2 nd Augusta could not provide the
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