The senators mumbled in reluctant agreement.
‘Then Octavian I must ask, upon what course of action would you steer us with regard to these devils? Speak man, speak!’ Claudius demanded.
‘We must exterminate them. All of them,’ Octavian muttered darkly, curling his hand, the fingers of which were covered copiously in expensive rings, into an ominous fist.
‘I for one would certainly feel safer in my bed at night in the knowledge that such things no longer walked the earth,’ Lepidus said, although disappointment at the lost business opportunity lingered in his tone.
‘It is not just the safety factor,’ Octavian continued. ‘There is more to it, a lot more. I have employed a learned scholar to conduct as exhaustive a study as possible into these monsters over the past few years, you see. For almost two decades now he has been scouring all of the ancient and esteemed libraries of the world. He has just returned from the Royal Library of Alexandria in Egypt, and he has spent years traversing the unknown lands of the Far East and studying their records as well. Kurush, summon Demetrios.’
Kurush nodded and left the room, returning a few minutes later with a bald, heavily bearded Greek geriatric, who hobbled along behind the imposing bodyguard with the aid of a walking stick.
‘Greetings, Roman senators,’ he croaked in a weak voice, husky with the passage of many decades.
‘Welcome, Demetrios,’ Octavian said warmly. ‘Will you join us in the bath and tell us of your knowledge of the beast-men?’
‘Yes, yes,’ the Greek replied eagerly, shedding his heavy robe and stepping into the steaming water. ‘It has been a most fascinating commission, and I must thank you for your most generous funding, Octavian. It has enabled me to research some of my own more obscure interests in my spare time as well, but there is no need to speak of those at present.’
‘Tell us, Greek, of your knowledge of these strange and terrifying creatures,’ Claudius demanded.
‘Yes, yes, very well. Let me just settle my ancient bones in the warmth of this water, they do ache so in this cold weather. Alas, the burdens of old age! Ahem, now where do I begin? I have presented all of my findings in a series of academic scrolls, copies of which my scribes are currently translating and preparing for the perusal of your learned eyes, but until such time as these documents are ready, I shall present you with a short summary of what I have discovered.’
‘Yes, please do elaborate on the nature of these monsters, my erudite friend,’ Lepidus said. ‘We are most curious to learn more of this strange phenomenon.’
‘Well, these beast-men, and women I may add,’ Demetrios said, ‘are present, if one digs deep enough, in the records of every civilisation in the known world. I have travelled through the provinces of Africa, Hispania, Gaul and the islands that lie beyond its western borders, and also to strange lands far to the East where no Roman nor Greek has ever set foot, I do believe. These travels have taken me the best part of almost two decades, you know. And in all libraries, as well as in the words of elders, kings and chieftains in the barbarian nations who lack the ability to record the written word, there is mention of shamans, demi-gods or gods who are able to assume the form of beasts at will.’
The senators gasped with collective surprise.
‘Indeed, mention of them can be traced back to the most primitive of societies. In the days before men had mastered the written word, before we made buildings of stone and arms of iron and bronze, when men lived as uncultured savages in forests and caves – as some still do in various barbarian societies – there was evidently a strong link to the animal world. Animals were connected with, how shall I put it, the spiritual? The primitive peoples, in their unenlightened state, almost universally believed that men who were able to take the form of animals were also able to commune directly with the gods themselves, or indeed to be gods. I have found this to be true of almost all of the early beliefs of most societies and peoples I have studied. Indeed, if you think about it, Rome is said to have been founded by Romulus and Remus, who were suckled by a she-wolf, and a certain scroll, whose existence has been kept secret, speaks of that particular she-wolf being able to assume human—’
‘That is preposterous!’ Claudius interjected hotly. ‘How dare you suggest that the founders of our great city were nursed by one of those … those disgusting things! You would do well to mind your place here, foreigner!’
‘I meant no offence, good senator,’ Demetrios retorted calmly. ‘I spoke not of the veracity of the claims inscribed upon the scroll, I merely mentioned its existence to illustrate my point.’
‘Do not be so quick to take offence, Claudius,’ Octavian murmured, raising an eyebrow as he shot a cautionary glance at the senator. ‘Allow my friend to speak.’
The old scholar continued to explain his findings, expanding on important details all the while, and revealing all that he had uncovered in his relentless and thorough scouring of the libraries of the known world and beyond. He explained that the fact that these creatures could shift between human and animal forms at will was merely the tip of the iceberg with regard to what they were, what they could do, and what else existed out there, which was inextricably connected with these beings. As he did this, a chilling realisation began to dawn on his audience. When he finished speaking, a hush fell upon them, and they remained silent for a number of tension-taut moments, before Octavian finally spoke.
‘As you can see, my friends, should these monsters attain their true potential and unite, and access the ancient powers to which they
