The sun was already beginning to set as we flew back to Medusa’s Island. Tonight, it glowed red, glittering across the blue waves like a bloody fire. My eyes dropped while staring at the colorful, silent waters as we flew back. I couldn’t look at it too much lest I fall asleep.

“The Café Aeternum is wearing off,” I said, waving to Cleopatra below as Umbra descended. “Make sure to drink some before midnight, but not too early. There’s a strong chance you’ll have a mini heart attack.”

Those were not fun to experience in my Historical Insight visions. It felt very akin to a panic attack, being crippled with fear while your heart exploded from your chest, but much, much worse. Too much caffeine would make us sick and weak. We would need to wait till midnight when we could handle another large dose.

I warned Sporus and Umbra as the dragon touched down on the ancient ruined temple.

“Do what you need to stay awake before we hit the next quest,” I said. “We’re going to have some time before it starts.”

“Great,” Sporus muttered, sounding a little grumpy and very fatigued, though he was glad to no longer be flying precariously in a thunderstorm. I helped him to unchain himself and threw the chain on the stone ground.

Cleopatra already had some bottled Café Aeternum waiting for us as we dismounted. “That took longer than I hoped,” she said, a weariness to her voice as she handed us the energy potions.

“Aquila was very fond of the chase,” I explained, pocketing the potion as Sporus did the same. Sporus and I joined Cleopatra by the campfire, warming our soaked bodies that hadn’t completely dried from the Croatian thunderstorm.

So, when do we start the next trial? Umbra asked, his inner voice sounding lethargic as he curled beside us. He kept his head elevated so he would not grow too weary and close his eyes.

“The next trial will be here, but it won’t arrive till midnight,” I said, dreading the coming futures. “We will have to endure a god and his storm for three days straight.”

Before they could ask for clarification, I approached the mossy statue of Jupiter and requested the next quest.

Heart of the Storm: Enter the eye of a relentless tempest to face Typhon, ancient rival to Jupiter and father of all monsters. Battle through waves of monstrous foes and a grueling storm for three days. Stay vigilant and rely on every ounce of strength to withstand Typhon’s onslaught, for failure means losing Jupiter’s favor forever.

Jupiter’s Blessing Rank 8/10: Summons a cataclysmic storm that unleashes 50 lightning strikes across the battlefield, each bolt dealing 500 damage without need of stamina. The strikes target enemies with pinpoint accuracy, leaving behind electrified ground that deals 100 damage per second for 10 seconds. Cooldown: 10 minutes.

As exhausting and tortuous as the next quest would be, the reward would greatly outweigh the challenge. I could effectively level fifty people in a battle without breaking a sweat, scattering lines and formation with ease. I would need this for the ninth Jupiter quest especially, for that legendary general would send his entire army at me under the control of Caesar.

My elaboration of the quest and its reward did not calm any fears. Instead, everyone gazed into the crackling fire, wishing to find the strength to endure something so exhausting like that.

“So today really is the last day,” Cleopatra whispered, almost inaudibly. She looked down at her belly, tears streaming silently down her cheeks.

“I’m afraid so,” I said, squeezing her hand. “I’ll bind you inside Medusa’s cave. You’ll be safe from the monsters there and the storm.”

Cleopatra looked like she was on the verge of tears, no doubt aided by pregnancy and lack of sleep for almost three days. But she chose not to give in to the utter depression that was our current challenge. Instead, she rose to her feet, pulling me up with her. Sporus and Umbra looked up at her with surprise.

“Well, if this is truly my last day, then we need to make sure you boys have enough food to last the week.” She paused for a second, thinking. “Umbra, get to work gathering as many fish as you can. Maximus will gather some barrels, seasonings, and salt from the mainland for me to store it in the cave. I know you can eat fish raw, Umbra, but not Maximus and Sporus. And as for you Sporus, I want you to get my binds ready in the cave for tonight using those metal chains you used for the quest. If we keep our hands busy, we’re less likely to fall asleep once the potion wears off.”

When no one made any moves to get started, she shooed us off with her hands, making me smile.

I followed through on her command, lightning teleporting to Alexandria to haul some more food from a tavern. For the benefit of the still awake Alexandrians, I didn’t have to use my lethal thunderclap ability to steal some more supplies from the tavern. My electric armor and menacing presence was enough to halt any questions and ward them off. Plus, I shoveled food and spices into a barrel with my enhanced speed boost from Jupiter, making it near impossible to stop me. I was out of the door just in time for Caesar’s sleeper agents to miss me. Lightning summoned from the heavens to whisk me away as their arrows uselessly passed through the air I was standing in.

Unauthorized duplication: this tale has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

In an hour, Umbra gathered enough fish to feed a small army. Sporus finished Cleopatra’s metal bonds we would soon place her in. He and Umbra decided to swim as the night set in to help stay awake and to give Cleopatra and I some much needed privacy.

For a while, Cleopatra and I were silent as we worked together to cook some of the fish while preparing the rest to be saved for later. We descaled, cleaned, gutted, preserved, and seasoned the fish like professional chefs, all thanks to her cooking skills.

Thunder rumbled across the oily skies while we worked. A menacing storm approached on the horizon, darker than the black sky. We had an hour left until the trial began and the first of the monsters would attack.

And then, the Somnia. I had only knowledge of what these futures shadow enemies would be that came out of nowhere thanks to reading hundreds of thousands of ancient books. They were frightening to say the least.

Cleopatra didn’t say a word, but the melancholy on her face mirrored mine. Our time was coming to an end.

“Come,” I finally said, taking her hand in mine after we rinsed them with water.

Cleopatra clung close to me as we descended the ruins and headed towards Medusa’s cave. In my free hand, I held the Praetorian Flameblade to give us light as we passed by the eerie statues of Medusa’s stone victims. I tried not to look at them.

“I will not stop until you’re safe,” I said, squeezing her hand for comfort.

I looked over to see her weakly smiling as she rubbed her pregnant belly. “They have a wonderful father, you know? I cannot wait to see them. I hope they look like you.”

Her words were like battering rams to my heart, almost stopping me cold. In the futures, I could see her reaction if I told her the truth about what was to come. She would spend her last hour grieving, suffering from the knowledge. I couldn't bear to see that. Instead, I kept the horrible truth hidden from her so she could be spared of the pain.

We walked into a more secluded cave where none of Medusa’s statues were. Dangling from a boulder on the ground was her metal chain, fastened securely to the stone to keep her still.

I sheathed the flaming sword into a rusty torch socket to keep the room alight. “I will not leave this room to darkness,” I said, lying down with her on the silk sheet Sporus had prepared for her. I took off my armor so she could lay on me and not get zapped.

“I’m proud of you, husband,” she whispered, nestling into my chest as we ran out the time we had left. “You are truly the greatest man I have ever known.”

Before I could thank her, her tear-soaked lips crashed into mine. Despite her pregnancy and fatigue, she pursued me with such passion. Both of us wanted to show just how much we loved each other, and so we did.

In this way, we spent the last of our time together.

“Rest now,” I whispered later when the time had come. Cleopatra lay in my arms, almost asleep. Her flawless skin had goosebumps from the slight chill of the cave. She was innocence and beauty combined. Little hands inside her belly prodded her stomach.

It was surreal to see how different my world had become with her. Before, I sought only vengeance and glory. But now, with her heart beating softly next to mine, I found nothing as important or as wondrous as her.

The wisdom of Marcus Aurelius whispered to me from my unconscious, book filled brain.

“When you arise in the morning, think of what a precious privilege it is to be alive—to breathe, to think, to enjoy, to love.”

Cleopatra had become my world, and from that, life was created, life more valuable than mine. It truly was a privilege to love and to be loved.

Wisdom (+10): lvl 3 (30/40)

Glory (+30): 6,900

Level: 57 (330/590)

I smiled at the red text notification that soon drifted away. I made a silent thank you to Marcus for his infinite wisdom which he bestowed on me.

Only the black storm brewing outside stirred my thoughts.

I could see from the futures that if I walked outside, I would be smacked in the face by pounding rain and a nightmare storm surrounding the island. The howling wind made me think it was the god Typhon blowing with rage at the island.

Kissing her forehead, I set to work binding her. I made sure she was securely bound on the floor, so she could sleep and not become a puppet for Caesar. Though Caesar would use her flesh to speak to me, he would not be able to harm Cleopatra or reveal our location.

“I’ll see you when I wake,” Cleopatra whispered, her eyes closed for the last time as herself.

“I love you,” I whispered back, squeezing my eyes closed in anticipation of what was to come.

“Maximus! They’re here!” Sporus shouted at the cave’s entrance. Typhon’s minions would be on us very soon.

“I’m coming!” I shouted back, strapping on my armor as fast as I could. Resting with Cleopatra had made my body feel loose, like a wet noodle. But it was worth it.

Though, I did feel the effects of the Café Aeternum wearing off. It had been a full day since I first took the coffee potion. Now, I would begin to experience time lapses and for some reason, the Somnia, which would only get worse with each passing second. Even now, the shadows on the walls began to twist into wicked shapes, some of them human.

Could this be of the gods?

“Maximus,” Caesar whispered behind me through Cleopatra’s lips.

My teeth ground together in anger. I had seen this would happen, but it still enraged me.

“Be careful you do not harm my wife,” I threatened.

“I will not harm what is already mine. If you surrender, I assure you, she will be safe.”

I refused to turn around, to see him in her. “The die has already been cast, Caesar. I will see you soon.”

I didn’t wait for a quippy response from him. Instead, I summoned my Pilum of Mars which glowed blood red with power, illuminating the dark cave. With my shield hand, I downed another Café Aeternum, widening my eyes with energy and making me almost sick. As the caffeine electrified me, I strode out to face the deadliest storm that humanity has ever seen.