The full moon illuminated the night as about 200 Velites take up position among the trees. 70 Triarii behind them, and 300 Horsemen behind them. Horatius moved silently among the Velites, whispering to his officers, preparing to send the enemy running into the ocean. Horatius was bitter, the Senate sent him orders and he followed them. He was going to Syracuse to defend it, because any other engagement with an enemy of that size would've been disastrous. The only reason they won that battle was because of Syracuse's walls and the combined power of two legions. He had taken a small group of soldiers after the remaining forces to send them packing back to their ships, most of them slept and those on guard duty were nodding off. [i]Our enemy is tired and battered[/i] thought Horatius, [i]this final push will see them off[/i]. He had the Triarii several feet apart from each other, just enough to allow the horses to pass. They were about 10 miles from Ragusa, on the coast. Horatius nodded to one of his officers. The officer silently raised his hand and the Velites prepared to throw their javelins. The officer made a sweeping motion with his arm and the Velites let loose. The silent night was pierced with agonized screams and the pounding of man and horse as Horatius' small task force smashed into the enemy camp. He unsheathed his Gladius and mounted his horse and rode into the thick of it.

The Carthaginians were totally surprised by the night attack. The men ran around dazed and confused, and being slain by the Roman attackers. Horatius rode into the camp, Gladius raised. A half-naked soldier stumbled out of a tent and yelped as Horatius's blade sliced his face open, killing him. The attack continued for an hour and a half before the remaining troops jumped into the ocean, attempting to get to their ships. Some drowned, some were killed by a javelin, some were chased into the water where a sword pierced their throat. The survivors sailed away, with the Romans cheering and jeering at their backs. Horatius allowed himself a small smile before he pulled a scout aside and told him to search the surrounding areas for survivors with seven other men. The scout nodded wearily and rallied a search party, while the rest of the victors traveled back to Syracuse. 

The Legion V Almeria reached Syracuse two days later and the story of the battle spread like wildfire through the city, and Horatius knew that his fellow Legate would know of the battle before the day was done. Meanwhile, he returned to his tent where he wrote a letter to the senate.

 [i]Consul Tiberius Sempronius Longus,

The enemy has just been drove off of Sicily, it was an easy fight, as they were still recovering from their failed siege on Syracuse. I've no doubt that there are survivors still, but they will be hunted down and killed. For now, Sicily is safe. As for my orders, the idea that we would be able to prevent the Carthage march before it got to Syracuse is an incorrect one. We would've been slaughtered, and they still would've had enough men to siege Syracuse. It was only because I went to Syracuse and joined forces with the other Legion that you didn't tell me about, did we succeed and prevented Syracuse from becoming a Roman graveyard.

Legate Aelius Horatius Servius[/i]