“Y-you’re not my wife,” I said, my words fumbling from my overly exhausted face. I sounded drugged, loopy. I almost couldn’t comprehend even the words I was saying.

The fatigue and the pounding headache came roaring back to me as I jumped up from the pillows where the very enchanting Tanit lay chuckling. The sudden change in movement made me stumble and I fell to my knees, trembling. Tears poured uncontrollably from me, much against my will. Rage and depression were tempests roaring within me, and I was unable to restrain them.

What the heck was going on?

“How?” was all I could say as I rose unsteadily to my feet. Even going slow this time, the watery cavern illuminated by the silver priestesses swirled in my vision, making me want to puke.

To my horror, I remembered all my gear was on the floor. The priestesses giggled behind me.

“Come lay back down, wise Maximus,” Tanit said, not bothering to rise to her feet. Behind her, lurking in the cool waters, the seven headed snake wriggled in anticipation. Her words were not a request, but a command. “Rest a bit longer with me.”

I shook my head, no longer oblivious but revolted. “Y-you tricked me. You dressed as my wife to seduce me, to waste all this time.” My hands trembled with fury and because of my dwindling fine motor control. I didn’t have much time left.

Gotta get out of here, I thought, though even thinking that was hard enough.

Tanit shrugged, bouncing her golden hair on her perfect shoulders. “I am the goddess of fertility. You could have denied me, saved yourself days of time. But no, you were like the other men, like Caesar and Elagabalus. Beautiful women so easily reduce you. You are not like Hannibal, who denied plundering my golden pillar. He showed restraint and wisdom in his life, but you do not. You have failed, young Maximus. But do not fear, you will return to rest in just a couple of breaths.”

Though I was severely weakened by the day ten penalties of no sleep, I wasn’t foolish enough to miss the hidden meaning in her words. I was already keeping an eye on the serpent that greedily awaited to strike me. Before she finished speaking, I turned Saturn's Hourglass Ring on my hand, giving me a full hour of time right as seven serpent heads in every direction leapt from the dark waters to strike me.

Glory (-100): 10,930

Too close, I thought, throwing on all of my gear in my stationary time bubble. Way, way too close.

Back to normal, I surveyed my surroundings. The fell serpent struck at me equally in all directions. Had I not froze time to arm myself, the twenty five percent increase in damage against my unarmored flesh would have instantly killed me. Now, it would presumably do less damage, but there was no way to tell without my Historical Insight. Either way, I would need to avoid being struck.

Since my damage was severely decreased and the cost of stamina increased, I would need to be strategic. But just thinking about strategy was challenging enough. My mind felt like it had been thrown into a washing machine where it was spun for days. Everything was practically swimming in my view. I felt wasted, like I had binged shots at a bar plus downed handfuls of random drugs.

Think, think, think!

My Chain Lightning pilum ability would not be working unfortunately because I was underground. I could still use my Piercing Rain ability, and other Jupiter blessings that didn’t require the environment.

The Pilum of Mars summoned to my weak and trembling hand. I aimed for the nearest grouping, throwing it and activating the Piercing Rain ability. The fiery, golden-red pila stopped mid air as soon as it left my hand, waiting for the hour long time bubble to finish. There was a small ten percent chance the attack would fail, but I would have to trust it.

Stamina: 170/200

Next, I clapped my hands together in an electric shockwave. This would undoubtedly annoy Tanit, who was laying at my feet, calmly waiting for me to die. It humored me that her perfect hair and clothes would be ruffled by the electric blast.

Okay, what else? Maybe Jupiter-speed, plus an electric dash through the three heads not receiving a pilum?

That sounded best to me. I would use my Praetorian Flameblade to sever their heads, blocking any counter strike with my Obsidian-Fortified Barnacle Shield.

Let’s do this.

Time resumed and immediately chaos ensued. My electric shockwave killed the serpent heads right away, but because they weren’t severed, they recovered themselves. Only, the three that received fiery pilums to the face did not. When they did recover, they were weighed down by the unbreakable, burning pila.

The three that I charged were slain by the electricity that came off of my armor, aura, and the dash, plus my shield which slammed into them. To make sure they didn’t come back from the dead, I swung three critical strikes onto each of their necks, the flaming sword cauterizing the fatal wounds. Just as I finished the third one, the seventh serpent head recovered from the shock blast and struck at my back with its venomous teeth. I was too slow from the insane fatigue to take on the Shadowmail form. The serpent head threw me to the hip-deep waters, submerging me.

As I struggled to rise, the seventh head plucked out the pila from its three friends after it regenerated its health. It must have died after striking my electric armor but now rose again to help. They were collectively going to strike me to death.

I froze time again to rise to my feet, needing more time to think.

Glory (-100): 10,830

That really sucked, I thought, my body aching from the forceful bite. Okay, need to take them out quick.

Both my gladii would serve enough damage to sever their heads if I attacked again with critical strikes. I would just have to be fast enough to close the distance, freeze time, and hack away. If not, I had no doubt that they would overwhelm me with how fast they moved.

One chance.

Time resumed and I Jupiter-leapt from the waters and activated my Boots of Mercury, propelling me with winged flight. I let go of my shield to dual wield both gladii. My timing to pause time was off slightly due to my sluggish reflexes, receiving a strike to my face that felt like a battering ram, but time stopped nonetheless.

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Glory (-100): 10,730

“I can’t see,” I moaned, shaking the blurriness off. “I really need sleep.”

With my dwindling strength, I screamed and swung both gladii in opposite directions, channeling more rage into the blows to unlock critical strikes and severing their heads. To ensure none of them would regrow, I pressed my burning Praetorian Flameblade down into each of the severed stumps.

“That should do it.”

I let go of time and dropped to the pillows below. The seven headed serpent collapsed into a bloody heap in the waters.

To my shock, I realized that was one of the first times I had fought something without my Historical Insight, save for my trip to hell.

“Well done, Maximus,” Tanit purred, her eyes narrowing in seduction. “Now, I can reward you even more.”

“Save it,” I said, struggling to my feet. “I am here to free Hannibal, not to play with you.” I resisted the urge to put the gladii across her neck, as I had a feeling she could do horrible things to me if I goaded her into attacking. I lowered my gladii anyway though, seeing as I could barely hold them with my shaking hands.

Oh my goodness I am so tired.

“Very well,” Tanit said, rising smoothly to her feet. “I know well what you seek. Before I give you my blessing to revive Hannibal and his army, there is one last question you must answer.” Before she continued, she transformed back into Cleopatra, still taking my breath away even though I knew it wasn’t her. She just looked so real. “Max,” she said, echoing her voice, “Tanit will grant me life with you if you win. She is the goddess of fertility, of life. She can defy Pluto’s order so that we can be together. I don’t have to die.”

“What?” I said, my lips hardly moving. How could that be?

Cleopatra nodded, her eyes devouring me as she stepped closer. Although I knew this wasn’t her, it was impossible not to feel attracted. Again the warm and disorienting feelings swelled in me.

“The only price is our children,” she whispered, her lips a breath from mine before she closed the distance.

“Wait,” I tried to say as she tried to drag me down to the pillows again. “Wait, C-Cleopatra, no, I mean Tanit! No!”

I snatched her hands, pushing her back. Tanit reappeared, her face displaying betrayal. “Do you not love me?” she said with Cleopatra’s voice.

“I do, but…”

But what?

She was truly the new light in my world, much as Livia was for Titus, much as all the successful men in my previous life had wifes to fill their days. Cleopatra was innocent beyond compare, and the only woman who had ever loved me. I had never had such a love before. And now, there was a chance to keep it. Finally, after months of colonizing America, dying, and coming back to life, I could keep her by my side and not end the entire world.

Just the two worlds in her womb. Our sons.

The very thought was like a sword being slid through my ribs, one at a time. Our two sons, sacrificed for my own pleasure. Slain for my own joy.

Before I could answer, the dungeon disappeared.

I was back in Bulla Felix’s hideout, watching the sun go down. Camilla, dressed as the boy Camillus, was chatting with Titus by the campfire I was sitting at. Marcus Aurelius sat with us in our little circle.

This was not supposed to be happening. Everything around me had a dream-like appearance.

I was officially losing it.

“Max,” Marcus Aurelius said, bringing my attention to him. He smiled, handing me a book. Meditations. “Waste no more time arguing about what a good man should be. Be one.”

There were no words to say, nothing to refute.

Like a damn breaking from the overwhelming force of a river, I too broke down back in the dungeon as my mind returned to my dying body. The hallucination, though vivid, was over.

“I-I can’t!” I screamed, tears bursting from my baggy eyes without control. “I won’t kill them!”

I shook my head, looking away from the beautiful goddess. The very temptation of doing so was enough to drain me, leaving me broken and sobbing. I almost didn’t respond when Tanit gently touched my chin with her glowing fingers.

“Maximus the Man,” Tanit said, her eyes looking over me with approval. “A man of consequence. A man of wisdom.” She unclasped the crescent moon around her neck and handed it to me. “Just beyond me you will find Hannibal and his army. I gift to you his life and allegiance. He, his men, and war elephants will return to the grave once your quest is finished, but he will help you in your fight with Caesar. Go now, and rescue your wife. Enjoy the remaining time with her. Do not waste it.”

I was such an emotional, tired wreck that I embraced the goddess, hugging her and probably getting snot on her shoulders. I didn’t care. My brain hurt so much and my body ached from fatigue that none of that mattered.

“Thank you, Tanit,” I said, pulling away.

Tanit smiled, kissing my helmet. “The gods will be with you, Maximus.”

I stumbled off of the makeshift bed on the rock and splashed my way to the end of the dungeon, keeping my gladius fire up in front of me to show me the way. I took a quick look at the necklace before I reached the end.

Item: Crescent Moon of Tanit (Dei)

* Description: A silver crescent moon imbued with the divine essence of Tanit, goddess of the heavens, fertility, and protection. The pendant glows faintly in the dark and emits a soothing aura that shields the wearer from despair. Its surface is etched with Carthaginian runes symbolizing renewal and life, and its energy pulses with celestial power when worn.

* Special Effect: Upon activation, the crescent moon dissolves into pure energy, bringing Hannibal Barca, his war elephants, and his army back from the grave. The army fights for the wearer’s cause until their objective is achieved or the army is defeated. Once the pendant is used, it ceases to exist.

* Durability: Single use. Dissolves upon activating.

* Weight: 0.5 kg

* Worth: Priceless

I also received glory for my final fight and wisdom check.

Wisdom (+10): lvl 5 (0/60)

Strength (+10): lvl 59 (490/600)

Honor (+1,000): 1,010

* High Honor Perks:

* Gain a 20% discount at shops.

* Access exclusive honorable quests that reward unique items or abilities.

* Enjoy a +25% bonus to persuasion and diplomacy checks.

* Drawback:

* Refusal to engage in dishonorable actions may lead to missed opportunities or strained relationships.

* Increased chance of attracting challenges or conflicts from dishonorable rivals, resulting in more frequent combat encounters.

Glory (+80): 10,810

Level: 83 (240/850)

I had been morally neutral so long that I had forgotten about the perks and drawbacks.

I took a heavy sigh, clutching the Crescent Moon of Tanit. It was time to bring back Hannibal Barca.