A small village in the Roman province of Raetia is pulled into the chaos of war as hordes of Suebian warriors plunder and pillage their way through the Empire's borderlands in the 3rd Century C.E./A.D.. The village's militia leaders, Montanus and Glaucus, are young men who were installed by their mother, the village leader. They are struggling to survive under tremendous pressure. Most of the Roman legions had been called away to fight in other parts of the Empire, so the locals are left to fend for themselves and to deal with the threats of invaders. To complicate things further, refugees flock to the village, bringing a new religion and culture with them. And, being young men, Montanus and Glaucus of course seek to define their place in society. This is the first book in a series of historical fiction, based on what little is known about the early history of the modern-day real village of Esting in what is now the German state of Bavaria. Today, Esting is incorporated within the city of Olching, which is a suburb of the Bavarian capital, Munich. Visitors to Esting are still able to cross the river Ambra (today is is called "Amper") as they travel on the Römerstrasse (literally "Roman Road"), and they may visit the medieval church of St. Stephanus, which likely rests on older foundations, possibly reaching back to late antiquity.This is a story of fiction of what might have transpired in a time when no one had the luxury of taking one's survival for granted and when many new and strange people threatened the status quo and the people's way of life. It is a story about the history of central Europe in late antiquity, as it is about humanity in general.