The salty maritime breeze rocked against Gaius’ armor plates, cutting the wind with each sharp end. He couldn’t afford to be patient. It had been two full days since he left Rome’s harbor. They should be very close to their destination, were the coordinates to be believed. Was his mission to take any longer the city would already be empty of supplies by the time he returned. It was a cruel thing not being able to fast travel. Had the ability to do so remained, so many problems could have been avoided. If only there was a spell of the sort, it would probably be a Manipulation one. His job as emperor could be done all the easier were such a thing to exist. Nevertheless, he couldn’t.
Both sky and ocean were calm, or at least as much as a sailor would like. There were no storms or interventions as they went deeper into the horizon. The mood among the men was more positive than one would presume at such dire times. Many of them, while experts at their practice never did sail this far from the coast. Granted, it wasn’t any grand voyage, but the wonder of adventure was present in their gleaming eyes as they looked to the setting sun and exchanged merry banters.
None dared approach him, his reputation not allowing anyone to get close. It’s hard to correctly estimate how grandly they thought of him, or how cynical they were if the tales were true. In a world where magic and monsters were a common occurrence, it made a reality believable enough for most. Gaius would stand alone and all by himself. After all, one’s own outer reality ought to emulate its own inner faults. Such moments of solitude present the perfect opportunity to the worst kind of thoughts. When there was nothing good to fill the void, the worst did so in its place.
Brunus was dead. He tried to come to terms with it. Tears and sorrow had already corrupted his own character whenever these words reoccurred in his mind. In war and politics, it is a primordial fact for a leader to dissipate himself from any attachments, any weaknesses which could deprive him of power. In his years of reading history too many examples had been made of men sowing the seeds of their own destruction through their unnecessary connections to family members. Be it a kidnapped daughter, a murdered father or betraying son. Those who couldn’t overcome these biologically imposed barriers to one’s own ambition were bound to their failure. Victory was all there was, triumph the only valuable end goal.
It was a lie. There was something wrong with his old philosophy. Gaius had disconnected from all his worldly contacts. His pure dedication to Impera and study of the management of states and armies granted him the rule of a world-wide empire. How could it be then he was so defeated? What was it about his brother that was so indispensable? True, they were close since birth, but the same could be said for his father and mother, aunts and cousins. No, it wasn’t a matter of being merely blood-related. The only absolute was the dreadful loneliness in his newly beating heart. What could possibly counter this miserableness?
Gaius’ eye widened greatly as a stroke of inspiration came to answer. He grabbed the edge of the ship tightly with his gauntlets.
“A counter…” he muttered silently, “… A counter to… Myself.”
Gaius’ tightened his grip on the wooden bars, breaking them. The sailors who watched the scene stepped away, ending their conversations as their prime passenger looked like he was about to explode.
He had been such a fool, through all these years. It made so much sense it was painful. His dread was not new to his conscience, be it to any action or outer motive. It had always been there, a self-inflicted wound, cultivated and naturally developed. Brunus had been the counter to it, the one who contained it so deeply within Gaius he never noticed it was there at all. His wish to conquer all and disregard others was the problem. His brother’s constant effort to make his company and direct him to better paths was the force that made for an enlightening truth, one Gaius never accepted. As Brunus was no longer than to do so, the maleficent consequence of his objectives caught up to dominate him. Brunus was the light, and Gaius the darkness. Once extinguished, the shadows spread. He let go of the ship, resting his arms down as he looked at the dawn.
On yet another front, it mattered little if he had been either transported to a real version of Impera or if he was imprisoned in a simulation of the same. His brother was no longer there, and it tore him apart, corrupting his will to keep going forward as the fruit of his own conception poisoned his mind and body. His suicide attempt was not a desired to return home, as it was a hope to end all this suffering. For a second time, Gaius’ hand grabbed on his sword's hilt.
“… No.” he told himself, letting it go. Even if his own life didn’t matter to himself anymore, even if became a source of constant pain and regret it wasn’t his choice to make. Too many people, an entire empire counted on him. He needed to keep on going, to take it all in. His absence through the years caused too much destruction, but couldn’t one conclude his existence at all was the problem? Couldn’t one make the argument the creation of the empire was a by-product of his ill-intended desire to conquer above all else? How many people, be it NPCs or real living beings died by his direct or indirect action? How many nations, cultures, and families torn apart by his own hands? If it was the case all this was unjustified by the will to achieve power, then why fight for the Imperial restoration? For the first time in his life, Gaius truly pondered whether he was the villain of his own story, not as a joke, but as the truth.
What did Brunus think of all this? Did he see his elder brother as an evil person? His last words, after all, had been a keen desire for Gaius to be nicer, but what exactly did he mean by it? How does one constitute niceness? Was it a call for his inner humanity, or for his common sense? Both were greatly rivaled in practical terms, even if similar in concept. If Brunus wanted Gaius to be more like him, then was it in a full picture or just some aspects? Gaius cursed his beloved brother, his words confusing his analytical mind to no end, even after death. Only one main topic remained to ponder. Was he to choose between saving the empire or living by Brunus’ wishes, which one would he abide by? What was, as Brunus would say, the right thing to do? What mattered most in the end, to do good as others wanted him to, or as himself saw fit? In the end, what was the difference over the dilemmas of being good over the ones of being evil? Was there even an answer, free of any bias or distortion who could satisfy him? Nothing did come up, and while he now understood his sorrow, it did little to mitigate it.
Gaius left the edge of the ship. With none standing around him he walked back to his private chambers with no obstruction. The door opened, and he walked down the steps. The torches were fading in strength. Gaius lit them back up with small shots of fireballs, his fingers burning ever so slightly. Was it possible to use his own healing spells on himself, he would fear using strong Obliteration spells more often. His right arms still hadn’t fully recovered from the use of the Wrath of a Thousand Thunders spell. Everything in Impera had its drawbacks, one of the unfortunate things which perfectly extended to the new world.
At the end of the narrow corridor down the deck of the ship was the Captain’s Cabin, his bedroom that is. The door opened, shrieking as the nature of old wood and rusty metal. Back in the Empire’s height, such a ship wouldn’t be fit for service even for the most renegade of lowly legions, and yet it served as the best the emperor could use. Gaius walked to his desk, sitting down the chair. He opened the same map used to discuss the empire’s situation with Minerva. One of his oldest hobbies, looking at such maps offered an entertainment all on its own. Where borders were drawn, natural barriers located and geographical elements relevant were of great importance to a fan of history as he was, never mind how stacked against him they were.
There were four factions in the Imperial Peninsula to contend with, not counting the Empire itself. In accordance with the necessity of supplies, Gaius departed himself to deal with the most unstable and possibly dangerous of them, Discordia and her undead kingdom. There were many possible ways to try to deal with her insanity, yet only one he could be completely sure to work. Even in the extremally unlikely case were it to fail, dragging her by force would prove a costly affair. She was his match in Obliteration Magic, and a duel of that magnitude would scorch what was already left of Cilia’s fertile farms. He would emerge victorious in the end, but the conflict had to be avoided at all costs. How easy then would it be for her to peacefully submit back to his authority? A better question then, how does someone go about ensuring the loyalty of a madwoman? Of all Roman Gods and Emperors, Discordia Caligulana’s combination which bore her built character was by far the most dangerous. No other thought came to Gaius but the wish to punch his past self, unknowing of the burden he was setting up to his future self when creating her. It made for a great joke then, but a great problem now.
In the case of the Divine Legionnaire’s overall loyalty, what was to be his normal presumption? Minerva Aureliana was nothing but endlessly loyal, since her creation, his slumber and return. That was exactly as she should be; however, she did show a soft side to herself he never saw before, one he never wrote her to ever possess. Sure, she was glad to see her creator after such a long time, but still, it would seem his NPCs were able to evolve, to change their behaviors through time, even if slowly. Venus did so as well. Of course, her nature as a succubus played a part in it, but a previously inexistent ability to love and deviate from the empire emerged. It could be she merely attached to Flavius to feed on his vitality, but if Minerva was capable to see love In Venus’ actions, then it most likely was the case. It remains to be asked, did Discordia change as well? And if so, how exactly? Gaius was hardly bothered it was a bad thing. Any change to the completely chaotic, sadistic and cruel persona he wrote for her would be for the better. The Divine Legion was built to be loyal, but if they were able to alter themselves, then their loyalty, along with pretty much all he knew about them was at question. Gaius sighed, overcome with a desire for things to go smoothly. His plan had to work, there was no time for it not to.
Gaius got off from his chair. He reached his closet, opening with haste. There were many bottles of wine, grain, and fruits. He dismissed most of them, reaching for a basket in the lower shelf. He pulled it back to his desk, lifting the wraps which covered it. He gasped, staring at its emptiness. The apples were gone, all of them. The basket full of them which he ordered remained untouched since they set sail. Had any of the crewmembers entered his room and stole them? It would be the height of disrespect, let alone foolishness. Gaius made sure the men had access to just as much food as he had, therefore making such theft nonsensical. Gaius’ frowned under the helmet, his main plan completely frustrated. Whoever it was, he clearly didn’t know the danger he put all of them in.
Gaius walked around his cabin, looking for any more objects that might have also been stolen, as well as clues for who it was. He couldn’t simply start a purge if there was no evidence of who committed the crime. Additionally, the vanishment of some fruits wouldn’t look like a big deal to the sailors, ignorant as they were of their true value in the mission. In his search, there was nothing to be found on the closet, bed, floor or desk. Gaius sneered, facepalming and wondering why he didn’t check earlier. He couldn’t go back to the city to get a new batch, there was no time for it. There weren’t any nearby harbors to trade or buy them for, beyond the island of Cilia. He needed those damn apples, and since they were gone, a new plan in their place. He reflected deeply on it. By then it was night, and the waters of the Imperial Sea ever calmer, the only sounds the steps of sailors from the other end of the ship.
Something fell behind Gaius. It was the sound of collision against the solid wood of the ships’ base floor. He turned back, finding nothing or anyone out of place. All was as he last left it. No object on the ground or befallen item. What had made that noise, then? It was no footstep, no wave or anything else. Something, in his room, had been the source of it. If rats or any other past had made their way onboard, then it would be crucial to eradicating them before they depleted and infected their supplies. Gaius lifted his hand, activating a rarely useful Manipulation Spell. It permitted him to see living beings through walls and obstacles within a small area. In his current situation, he would find the pest, along with their nests. Gaius applied it to the room, finding nothing as well. Given the short range it had, on top of not wanting to spend too much magicka in forcing it to be wider, he strolled through the cabin, making sure each corner was covered. Eventually, he stumbled on a strong vital signal far beyond his expectations. It was no rat, or cat or dog. By the size of it, it was some creature, a monster in his own bedroom.
It was large, or at least enough so as not to be disregarded. Its life signal gave a rough shape of its body, shining like an infra-red light. The monster was slender and possessed a great aura of power surrounding it. It could have been an assassin knowledgeable in magicka, or a monster naturally gifted on it. He was hidden on a large chest at the corner beside the door. Gaius left it empty, along with most of the other ones. They would serve to carry back a relief amount of food back to Rome once the mission succeeded, and so he left them empty.
It would be prudent to strike through it with his gladius., providing an instant kill while the monster or assassin was unaware he had been spotted. Surely, for one to believe he could challenge Gaius he needed either be strong, intelligent or a fool. While the first possibility cautioned to take the initiative, the other two cases were not so necessary of an immediate action. It would be useful to interrogate him, to understand who it was, along with how and why it had gotten in there. Gaius would take the risk, as he was already used to doing by then. He casted an Illusion spell targeted at the assailant, silencing his movements to his ears. Gaius walked to the chest. Its lock was breached, signaling the monster was likely not capable of lockpicking. Nevertheless, it made his job easier. Gaius opened the chest, his gladius in hand and pointing to meet the target. It was no monster, no assassin or animal. In its place, the unlikeliest of people was the one he found inside,
“… Julia?” he asked.
“… Err… Hey…”
Julia was compacted inside the chest, her legs barely fitting inside. She wore her usual Imperial purple tunic and red garments. She blushed to no end with what looked to be surprise and fear. Gaius sheaved his gladius, staring at Julia for a long, silent moment, much to her apparent despair.
“What are you doing here?” he asked, pulling her out of the chest and into the air as if a small puppy.
“I… Umm…” she held her hands together, flickering her eyes to all directions and avoiding Gaius’ terrifying purple eyes.
“Have you any idea of the danger you have put yourself in?” Gaius neared hear, still carrying her entire body with his right hand.
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“I know, I know…” she repeated, “But still, I wanted to…”
“And the apples, you ate them, didn’t you? You got to them while I was away, hiding back in your chest when you heard me coming back…”
“Y-Yeah… I was hungry…”
Gaius gave her a long look, letting her know how he truly felt about what she did. He sighed, letting her back on her feet, “I needed those apples…” he turned away, “Unknowingly, you did greater harm by coming here than you could imagine…”
“Did I?” she asked nervously, lowering her head, “All I wanted to do was to follow you on your travels… I have never been this far away from home before…”
“… Of all reasons…” Gaius shook his head, while Julia kept hers low.
The emperor let his frustrations flow out of his system. Her desire for adventure was little different than the one which motivated the sailors which volunteered to serve Gaius in the mission. He tried to put himself in her place, being an empress born in a dying empire. There was an entire world out there, while previously explored to Gaius in his old days was entirely unknown to her. It was a child’s wish for fun acting up. She was, after all barely 11. It was an age to try new things, and such was her nature to do that. Gaius would be a liar if he told himself he wasn’t like her in that age.
“… Now that you are here, know we can’t return until we see our objective accomplished.”
“I get it, Minerva told me it was extremally important… Which is also why I wanted to come! If I am ever to be an empress, I need to help my people when they need me most!”
Gaius turned back to her. Her face reminded him of Minerva, full of conviction and determination. She even tied her long, smooth brown hair in a ponytail, no doubt to emulate her teacher and guardian. Gaius was stuck with her for the duration of the voyage, with no solution but to see it through with her.
Gaius smirked, more to his own expense than anything, “You would have done greater good to them had you stayed in the capital.” He pointed to the basket, “Those apples were crucial to my plan, you know…”
“Were they really?” she tilted her head, “I thought they were just… Well, apples… I tried to interfere as little as I could, so I…”
“I get it.” Gaius interrupted, “Nevertheless, the fact still stands. I need to think on something else…”
“Wait!” said Julia, running to her chest, “There’s still…” she pulled out an apple from it, a bite already taken on it.
“There’s still an apple?” asked Gaius, approaching her.
“Yes! I was trying to eat it silently, but then I dropped it… Will this be enough?”
Gaius took the apple from her hands. He cleared it of any saliva with his hand, “… It might.” He put it on the basket, covering it with the blanket, “We are near enough Cilia, so it doesn’t rot too much before arrival, so it can still…”
An enchanting song sounded from beyond the cabin. It was the soft voice of a talented young singer, that of a woman experienced in the practice. Gaius’ and Julia’s attention were stolen by its beauty, both in tone and pitch.
“Who’s’ singing?” asked Julia, “I thought you didn’t let woman aboard these ships.”
“… We don’t.” Gaius answered, “They would be the target of constant sexual abuse by the sailors, deprived of sexual contact for weeks, sometimes even months…”
“Eww…” Julia’s face contorted, “That’s disgusting…”
“Another reason you shouldn’t have come here.” He replied.
Her eyes squinted in annoyance, “Well then, who is it that’s singing?”
“I don’t know. It could be someone brought a whore without my consent, getting her drunk…”
“That sounds fun! Are you going to do something about it?”
“It’s no big issue, really, as long as they aren’t mistreating her.” Gaius got back to his desk, “I have far greater issues to deal with…”
“… Fine, I’ll go upstairs and…”
A loud splash of water sounded, the waves hitting back into the ship as the song ceased to play.
“… Did someone fall!?” asked Julia, “I think someone did…. We need to help them!”
“If someone did fall, the others will help him back up.” He replied, “They probably got too drunk with…”
Another splash of water, followed by several others sounded,
“… Did more people fall!?” Julia looked around, as the sounds of waves hitting the ship increased, “It’s coming from all sides…”
Gaius got off from his desk, “There’s something wrong…” he walked to the door, “Angelic songs, men falling off the ship by the dozens… Dammit.”
“… What happened?”
“Stay here.” Said Gaius, “And try to obey me this time.”
“Tell me what’s happening!” she shouted, “Don’t treat me like a kid!”
“You are a kid.” He said, “Even worse, you are a girl. Sirens hate females from other races.”
“… S-Sirens!? They are here?”
“I’ll be back.” He said, opening the door.
“I am going with you!” She insisted, “We need to save the sailors!”
Gaius stopped, thinking on the issue. Was Julia to be attacked on the cabin while he was away, she would be easy prey to the Sirens. However dangerous, the best choice was to keep her close at hand under his constant protection.
“… Have it your way.” He dragged her to his side, “Stay close, and don’t let what you are about to see get to your head.”
“… I-I’ll try.” She nodded.
Gaius led the way upstairs, Julia attached behind him. There was an uneasy silence where the sailors were before so cheerful. As he opened the door to the deck, they confirmed their worst fears. The ship was completely empty, save for a single presence near the edge and to Gaius’ right. It was a typical Siren, possessing the lower half that of a fish and the top one of a gorgeous naked woman. She was ready to jump off, looking back at them as she stopped.
“… My… There’s another one…” she smiled, “Are there any more gentlemen down there as well?” she asked gently.
“That’s none of your concern.” Was Gaius’ cold reply.
“Such rudeness…” she glanced Gaius, looking him up and down with her keen blue eyes, “You are quite the man, must have been their captain…”
Gaius gave her a glance as well. While her upper half gave the illusion of a harmless woman, the details said the contrary. There were marks of blood near her mouth. She licked them off sadistically after Gaius took notice. He looked at the waters, large pounds of the same blood spreading far and wide. As always, there were no bodies to be found. Sirens never wasted a prey’s corpse.
“Let’s make a deal, Roman Captain…” she rested against the ship’s edge, “In exchange for your life, you will give Minerva a reminder of what happens when you sail too far from Rome.”
Another violent day in need of a violent solution it would seem. The last time Gaius caved on to kill all those who opposed him and the empire a great slaughter ensued, one he did not desire to bring upon as viciously as he once did. The prospect of killing so many stopped being such a lifeless topic, and once more affected him on a personal level. If Brunus was here, what would he have done? Would he be an advocate of justice to be done in the name of the sailors, or would he desire for mercy to overcome anything? The Sirens had just killed his entire crew and threatened him personally. Was it even fair to consider mercifulness? They must have had families in the capital, now deprived of their fathers and husbands. The same was the case for the Lupus who entered Rome, although in a much larger scale. Gaius had not questioned his decision to eradicate them all, but now it was not an example of daily conduct, but one of the harsh extreme.
“… Had you not attacked my crew, then perhaps some discourse might have been possible. You have, however, killed Romans, threatened their leaders and show an inexcusable amount of disrespect.” Gaius drew his gladius, “I’m short on time, and patience. Leave this ship immediately. Tell your people never again to harm another one of our people, lest they want total war.”
The Sirens seemed at a loss for words, befalling on a chuckle, “My… Romans are as arrogant as ever…” She saw through Gaius’ visor, “It pains me to let such a beautiful man go to waste, but if need be… “She licked her lips, cleansing the leftover blood.
She sang once more, the same melody as before. It didn’t take long for her to realize it wasn’t working. Gaius was too strong for him to be entranced by a single siren’s song. Julia was a girl, and therefore automatically immune to it. The Siren’s face, one of recent confidence transitioned to cautioned nervousness. She stopped singing, crawling a little further back.
“… I see, you are not like the other ones…” She slammed her Caudal Fin on the ground mightily, shaking the deck, “I’ll need some help then…”
Several other Sirens jumped out of the ocean, landing on board one after the other, some still chewing on parts of the sailor’s bodies, be it arms or legs. They were very similar to each other, only hair and eye colors different. They covered the entirety of the ships’ edges, counting easily around twenty or so.
“Now then, my sisters, commence!” shouted the siren.
Gaius looked around, surrounded and outnumbered. Their race proposed a problem far different from that the Lupus did, and in Gaius’ case, far more dangerous. Realizing what would happen if they all were to sing at once, Gaius tried to cast a protective Medical spell as soon as possible. Was he to succumb to their temptation, it would be the end.
It was too late. The tens of Sirens combined their voices in a great song, the grandest of all melodies, exponentially more powerful than what one alone could perform. Gaius’ quickly lost concentration as their voices penetrate his ears and mind, unable to cast spells any longer. He took too long to adapt to the new threat and was taken by their greatest weapon. Eventually, any resistance would fade, and he would become their collective puppet.
Gaius gruntled, shaking his head furiously and trying to cover his ears, “… Julia, get back in the cabin!” Gaius said, his vision blurring and losing strength on his legs, “They are getting to me…”
“What’s with this song? What are they doing to you?” she asked, still holding firm to his leg. Gaius pushed her off, back to the deck’s downward door, “… I… I can’t resist much longer… “
The siren’s beautiful voices sounded increasingly more glamorous. Her alluring bodies and perfect features called for Gaius’ most primal instincts. An unwavering desire to jump into the ocean claimed his mind. The song was working, and there was little he could do to counter it. He strode towards the edge of the ship, resisting each step, but failing nonetheless. Julia followed him, shaking his arm.
“Snap out of it!” she shouted repeatedly, “You are going to fall too!”
“Err…” Gaius forced himself to stop. While the song was far and beyond what any single human could resist, he was still a far cut above the rest. Even if he was human, and therefore the most vulnerable to a siren’s voice, a greater effort from their part would be needed.
“Damn bitch…” sneered the Siren, “Kill her.” He ordered, looking at a nearby siren. She crawled out of her corner, charging Julia with sharp nails and teeth.
Julia noticed her advance, jumping back and casting a Manipulation Shield Spell, the same one which saved her from the Lupus. It halted the monsters in its tracks, colliding with the magical wall. Unfortunately, as she was still new to casting it she didn’t master the spell fully, causing only a portion of the shield to appear. The Siren leaned forward, jumping over it and striking Julia’s arm. It didn’t make full contact, yet it still cut her. She screamed with pain, lowering the barrier and trying to keep from losing too much blood. The siren attacked once more, but her leather chest plate took the brunt of it. Falling back from the impact, Julia tried to cast the spell again, but to do it with a single arm was impossible with her current ability. With no hope left, she screamed for help.
“Gaius!”
While Julia fought for her life, Gaius did so for his own sanity. The song stole him of much of his sense, leaving only the ears to use. His niece’s plea for his name, therefore, entered his conscience loud and clear. He could deduce as well where the siren which attacked her was. With great fury, Gaius slashed the sea monster, unable to precisely perform a stab. It was greatly effective, enough power still within him to execute it. The siren’s upper human half was cut off from it’s fish one as it fell dead.
Gaius took a heavy breath, his headache and blurry vision diminishing slightly. As it took the siren to stop singing when she attacked Julia, the overall potency of the song lowered as well, even if by a small margin. There was also the fact he was getting used to how the music worked and tried to avoid its temptations by using Julia as a reference to reality. If she remained with him, he could still struggle to keep himself from losing it.
Because of their sister’s death, many sirens stopped singing, looking at her corpse with dreadful gazes. With the song now vastly weaker, Gaius was able to cast spells again. Not a second more to spare, he quickly casted a Medical Resistance Spell, rendering him almost immune to any Illusions. Their greatest weapon rendered useless, the Sirens befell on their leader with worried eyes, “… What now?” some asked.
“… This Roman… He’s something else….” Concluded the leading Siren, “We shall all attack at once, he won’t…”
Gaius’ casted a huge blaze on his hand, interrupting the siren’s orders. The fires burned as high as possible without reaching the sails. It formed into a raging fireball, many times greater than Gaius himself. He did not shoot it, hoping only to catch the enemy’s attention. His objective accomplished, Gaius said “Get out of our ship. Get out of our waters. The next time any of you dare do this again I will bring death and destruction to your people.”
What needed to be said delivered, the monster's reaction was the most understandable one. Deprived of any viable tactic and proved to be in a league far beyond their own, the Sirens jumped back into the waters, swimming deep below. At first, it was only the cowards, but it generated a domino effect. Soon all the sea monsters were gone, except their leader. She stared onto Gaius’ purple light with illuminated his visor from inside.
“… We will meet again.” She said, jumping out of the ship.
The battle over, Gaius extinguished his flames, falling back and sitting on the ground, his sword dropped. By the skin of his teeth, he was able to avoid falling victim to such a simple trap. He would from now on pre-emptively cast the resistance spell before charting in unfriendly waters. In the end, was the right or wrong thing not to have killed them all? Even if they did take his threat seriously, they would still be free to attack anyone while he wasn’t watching. More roman sailors would die because of his decision. On the other hand, if news of a reborn Roman strength spread, then his reputation would be enough to prevent further raids. It could, on the big picture, save more lives than it would cost. The, was it the right thing only to kill most of them? It was a troublesome thing to calculate, as goodness and evilness don’t work with absolute values. He sighed, “… What a waste of time…”
“Are you ok?” asked Julia, rushing to his side.
“I’m free of the song, with no injuries to speak of, just a headache…” He looked at her. She was still holding onto her right arm, bleeding as it was.
“… Let me tend to it.” Gaius casted a medical spell, curing her.
“… Thank you, you saved me again…”
“You were the one who saved me.” He retorted, “I needed to use your voice and presence as a way to keep myself firm and away from the Illusion’s full effect.” Gaius chuckled, “After all, you did help in the mission…”
“Really!?” Julia asked energetically, “You aren’t mad that I sneaked in here then?”
“You still shouldn’t have done that.” Gaius got up in his feet, “In case I die, you are the last remnant of the Imperial Line. You should have remained in Rome.”
“… I guess you are right…”
Gaius patted her head, messing her hair a little, “Now that you are here though, watch and learn as much as you can.”
“I will!”
Gaius crossed his arms. The ship was completely empty. Their casualties were total apart from himself and Julia. The ship couldn’t go long without a crew to operate it, much less make an entire trip back to Rome. The sirens stroke a great blow to him, besides almost killing him themselves.
“That’s terrible…” said Julia. At first, Gaius thought she meant the sailors deaths, but as he turned back she was staring the Siren’s corpse, cut in half and still bleeding over.
“Death comes to us all.” Said Gaius, “For some races, it takes much longer than others, but everyone will one day die, be it violently or not.”
“… Why so much death…” Julia asked with a whisper, “… Why does everyone want to kill each other…”
“Power is a zero-sum game.” Gaius replied, catching both halves of the dead monster and throwing them on the ocean, “No matter for what ultimate end goal, the peruse of said power demands one to defeat others, and so kill them. It was like that in my time, and so it is in yours.”
“… Do you think one day it won’t be like that?” asked Julia, “Do you think there’s a way to make a world where people don’t have to kill each other?” The little girl stared onto the emperor, her purple eyes meeting his,.
“… No, I don’t.”
Julia lowered her head, her eyes almost closing.
“… But I knew someone that did.”
His words revitalized Julia’s apparent mood. Both knew who they meant.
Gaius turned back, “… Forget about it. We need to focus on the matter at hand.” Gaius gestured to the emptiness of the ship, “We can’t sail like this, so what can we…”
“… Hey, look!” Julia pointed towards the horizon, “I see some land over there!”
“… Land?” Gaius got to the edge she pointed towards. The coast was visible from the distance. It wasn’t at all far away, quite reachable for their undermanned ship. After the long journey, they had finally arrived. The Island of Cilia laid a few kilometers away. There they would confront Discordia and save Rome from its supply shortage.
“… Good, we can still do this.” Gaius walked off, towards the deck, “Prepare yourself for landing. The true mission starts now.”