Cassius was the first to die. Knocked to the ground, Cassius let out a strangled cry as the beast tore his throat out with its teeth. The legionnaire tried futilely to unsheathe his dagger as the creature crouched on his bloodied chest. It was a piscine thing, blind white eyes staring blankly as a slimy tongue picked bits of red meat from between its sharp teeth. The slumdogs of Talarum called this creature a Deep One, although none knew whether the moniker originated from its subterranean habitat or from its passing resemblance to the cave angler fish of the underworld's vast pools and aquifers. In the darkness, a dozen more Deep Ones hissed and gurgled as they scented the odor of fresh blood. Cassius' killer lunged forward.<br/><br/>Titus was already battle-ready. Blade in hand, he settled into the routine taught to him by the academy's martial arts instructors. Relaxed breaths, wide and low, shield to the fore, blade raised and ready, completely and utterly serene--Even Blade Form, the teachers called it. Even Blade Style was widely favored by the empire's bladesmen, promoting swift strikes and rapid maneuvering, which made it perfect for fighting out of formation.<br/><br/>The Deep One closed. Scipio struck. His shield arm lashed out, catching the monster's skull with a thunderous backhand. It rocked back, stunned, as Titus followed up with a gut slash and an uppercut with his gladius. Another Deep One to Titus' left died as he chopped down, hacking into its braincase before kicking the twitching corpse free. The Paladin fell back a half-step to tighten the gaps between him and the surviving legionnaires.<br/><br/>Titus barked a command word in the Legion's battle language, a harsh, monosyllabic term authorizing the use of all weapons and minor magic. He himself kept his powers held in check, unwilling to expend himself so quickly even in these straits. Instead, he focused on the martial aspect of the fight, hacking into the mob as more and more creatures closed in, attracted to the din of battle. Surrounded and outnumbered with suicidal odds. Just another day at the office for the XIV Legion.