When□ewsofa□invadi□ga□m□re□□hedAld□ria□Mar□uswasthefi□stt□volunte□□t□de□□ndhish□mela□d.With□isswor□□nhand□ndarmo□s□i□i□ginthesunlight□□e□od□outto□□e□t□ee□□myonthe□attle□i□□d.Theoddswer□a□ainsthim,butMa□cu□□sunwav□ringresolvegav□hopetohiscom□□de□□ndstruc□feari□tothe□eartsofhisfoes. WhennewsofaninvadingarmyreachedAl□oria,Marcuswasthefirsttov□lunteerto□efendhishome□□n□.W□thhisswo□dinhan□anda□morshininginth□s□nligh□,herodeou□tom□etthee□emyon□h□ba□tlefield□Theod□swere□□ain□□him,butMarcus'sunwa□eringresolvegav□□o□et□h□□comrad□sandstruckfe□ri□tothehear□□□f□is□oes.□/p□ Whennewsofani□vadingarmyreache□A□□oria,Mar□uswasthefirsttovolun□eertodefendh□s□o□□land.Withhiss□ordin□andandarmor□hiningin□hesunlight,hero□eou□tomeettheenemy□nthe□attlefi□ld.Theod□swe□eaga□nsthim,butMarcus'sunwavering□e□o□v□g□vehopet□hiscomradesandst□uckfearinto□hehe□r□sofhis□oes. Whenne□sofan□nvadin□army□ea□hedAl□ori□,Marcuswasthefirst□o□□lunteer□odefendhis□omelan□.W□thhissw□rdi□han□andar□orshin□nginthesu□l□ght,herode□uttomeet□□eenemyonthebat□lefield.The□□ds□ereaga□nsth□m,butMarcus'sunwaveringres□l□eg□vehop□to□isc□mradesa□dstruckfe□□into□h□h□arts□□his□oes.