Massalia's Monster

During the Bronze Age  the Greeks from Rhodes founded the city-state of Massalia. Massalia is located in the southern part of Gallia. The city grew and flourished despite some enemies around the area. A team of Warriors patrolled an area known as Averni territory. They treaded carefully since some Gauls did not like trespassers or any foreigners coming onto their lands. Under the leadership of Agathon a team of Hoplites, Thorax Swordsmen, and Skirmishers were on their way back to the border.

At the border they were supposed to meet some Light Horse Cavalry who were to keep their flanks secure. Agathon had his unit stop near a high hill with a few trees on top. Here they made camp on top to keep a watchful eye out for rebels and those Gallic horsemen roaming the wild parts of the borders. On the hill Agathon sat on his stool with his unit around the fire. He contemplated the wilderness of this land which they had laying on the borders of Massalia. There were the violent Celto-Ligures, and Averni to the northwest, the Volcae to the west, and the Vocontii to the north. As a Captain of the Massaliot League Agathon felt it was his duty to keep the borders secure. This patrol went smoothly without any trouble save for a few arguments with farmers.

Even though he had patrolled these lands and fought against the various tribes Agathon still did not know much about these Gauls and Celts. These lands his ancestors came to in order to build a new colony for whichever Greek city state were still mysterious. He heard rumors of an island beyond the shores of this land, and to the far north tribes that dwell deep in dense forests that not even armies could withstand.

Agathon watched the fire die out as night grew darker and his men fell asleep. Long into the night he remained seated wondering what else were in these lands. His mission was to patrol the area yet the sense of adventure stirred inside him. Something in the dark caught his attention. Wary of the possible dangers he drew his sword ready to face whatever lurked in the dark.

"What do you want?" Agathon demanded.

"To be warm." answered a voice in the darkness.

"Then show yourself!" Agathon screamed at the top of his lungs.

"I cannot do that unless there is fire." the voice replied back.

"Men, men wake up we have an intruder!" He shouted trying to wake his men up. For some reason he did not hear anyone stir from their sleep.

"Your men cannot wake up Agathon." this voice said to him. It sounded like it was mocking him.

"Are you a Gaul?" He shouted.

"No, but I have been in these lands for many years. Long before these Gauls began their journey from the east." the voice said as though it was taunting him.

"What are you?" Agathon demanded.

"Give me warmth by the fire then you can see what I am." the voice replied.

Agathon dropped the sword and fumbled in the darkness to make the fire again. He could barely see a few burning pieces which he tried to use to burn grass, and smaller twigs with. Although he couldn't see his hands were able to find materials needed. After what seemed like an hour Agathon finally got the fire going. It started small then grew bigger as it became a campfire.

"There you have it a fire, warmth. Now tell who are you and what happened to my men?" Agathon demanded searching for his blade. His hand brushed against something sharp cutting his palm. He drew it to him holding it in pain. The Massalian Captain looked up at the flames. A tall cloaked figure stepped into the light of the flames. He saw its face or hood soaked in red blood and jaws full of teeth was munching on chunks of flesh. In its hands were limbs of a few men as it appeared, a leg, and an arm. Each limb dripped with blood as this figure grasped them. Agathon stared at it wide eyed and in horror. What was this creature in the fire light? His eyes studied it in horror noticing it had horns jutting out of the robes. The robed creature tossed a limb at him.

"There you go Agathon. That is what became of your men. My meal was delicious, and it always will be at night, and whilst the prey sleeps. Or do you call them victims?" The robed creature said starting to cackle at him.

"I....I ....you....you are one of those monsters I heard about as a child!" He screamed in fear of the creature. As a boy he heard stories of monsters in the hills who came out at night to feast on those you camped out near their territory.

"So what if I am? You are not going to be eaten count yourself lucky. However I thank you for the warm, warm fire. Ha ha ha ha ha!" The robed monster bellowed in a growling deep voice.

Agathon turned around and raced into the darkness. Fear gripped him so much that he lost his senses running off into the darkness. Agathon kept running around in circles, and zigzags only he could not see where he was going. In the dark he ran into something hard that knocked him unconscious. The impact with the hard object cracked his scalp open and made him bleed to death.