I navigated the palatial estate that Antonias lived in. While walking, I searched for answers within.

“Hello? Voice?” I asked. There was no response.

I took a deep breath, shaking my head at how silly I felt. “Grandfather?”

Nothing. The voice had been entirely unlike the ring’s voice when it had told me to put it on.

“I need answers from you.” I said. When no reply came, I gave up for the moment.

I continued on my way. I checked his bedroom first, but it was empty. Smelled strongly of essential oils, perhaps orange, and he was fond of pure gold sculptures and engravings on his bed. I checked the kitchen as well as he commonly hung out with Junia in it. Junia. I wished I had asked her where Antonias was before the whole… accident happened. Oh well. I walked on and on until my keen hearing picked up a strong heartbeat and the sound of tapping coming from a secluded study.

“Toni?” I asked, knocking on the door of the study. The door was fine redwood, well-oiled and polished.

“Yes. Good, you’re here finally. I sent Junia to get you ages ago.” Antonias said.

“Antonias… about Junia…” I didn’t know how to bring it up without making me sound crazy and telling him I had hurt his… I didn’t quite know what to call her or how to define Antonias and the Courtesan’s relationship. Lover? Confidante? Friend?

“Yes?” His expression dimmed as he studied my face. “Did something happen?”

“I’m afraid that I accidentally hurt her.” I said.

“Is she alive?” Antonias said.

“Yes! Yes. She’s not dying or anything. I wasn’t consciously trying to hurt her.” I said.

“Is it anything having a Golden Foundation can’t fix?” Antonias asked.

“No. She’ll recover. Just bruising.” I said.

Antonias’s face lightened. “Well, I’m sure she’ll forgive you if you apologize nicely. How did it happen in the first place?”

“I was, well, I wasn’t breaking up with Livia since we had never had a real official relationship, but I was telling her that I didn’t want one in the first place with her.” I said.

“Okay.” Antonias nodded.

“A Bronze Imperator and a Silver Servus wouldn’t work out. Not in my opinion. The gap is too vast.” I said.

“Agreed. Where does Junia come into this quarrel?” He said.

“Well, saying all that made Livia start to cry and when Junia came in and saw my Servus in tears she got angry with me.”

“My Junia has a bit of a temper that doesn’t respect boundaries or sanity.” Antonias agreed. He laid his hands on the wooden desk he was working on. “She once called my father a gutterborn bastard pretending to be a righteous king.”

“And he didn’t kill her?” I asked.

“No. She was originally a gift from him to me when I was younger and I think he knew I was attached. My father doesn’t understand people very well, but he does understand ownership of fine property and a Hetaira to him is very much a possession.” Antonias said.

“Wow. He seems like someone I wouldn’t want to meet.” I said.

Antonias sighed. “He is what he is. A product of our society. Anyways, back to Junia?”

“She slapped me and I just, well, I just grabbed her by the throat. I couldn’t control it, couldn’t let go. It was like someone else was in control of my body.” I said, leaving out my talking to an unseen voice. I didn’t want him to think I was insane.

Antonias pondered my statement. “Well, you have been having a lot of involuntary movements and accidents lately. Maybe it was just a subconscious part of your mind amplified by the instincts and potent reflexes of Bronze.”

“So, you’re not mad at me?” I asked my friend.

“Not terribly. I mean, I’m not happy it happened, but if Junia gets herself into dangerous situations like physically assaulting a Bronze Imperator with bodily control issues, that’s on her. If she’ll heal from it, it’s not a major concern for me.” He said.

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“Okay. Good.” I leaned against the study’s wall, sagging slightly in relief. “What did you want to talk to me about anyway?”

“I wanted to educate your Servus-raised Imperator mind.” Antonias said. “Do you even know what the Solar Guard is?”

I shook my head. “No, I don’t. Never even heard of it.”

“The Solar Guard is the private peacetime army of the Governor of the Apollo system. There are seven others for each of the wing systems as well.” Antonias said.

“And the core? Sol Invictus system?” I said.

“The Regent has his Praetorians and his Hunter corps and just the Dominium’s imperial military at his personal beck and call.” Antonias said.

He continued. “The Solar Guard protects the capital planet of the Apollo system, Iulius, enforces the laws of Dominium in their system, puts down revolts by the plebian and servile Paths, and ends rebellions by rogue Imperators seeking to make themselves little regents of their own tiny Dominiums by helping themselves to a slice of the Regent’s pie.”

“So, you want me to join the Solar Guard by going to this Scholarium.” I said.

“Yes. You’re a young Bronze on the Path of the Emperor, you’re a perfect candidate for being a cadet at the officer’s school at the Scholarium. In a couple of years, you’ll come out of it a newly minted solar officer of the Guard.” Antonias said.

“Toni, I want to be working on my cultivation of Rank. I want to be Silver, not a soldier giving orders to grunts.” I said.

“This is your best chance for Silver. Where else are you going to get the best Bronzes from the entire Apollo system in one place to fight and scheme against one another. Where else will you be taught by Silver Imperators? Where else will you have the best possible advancement supplements and pills to put you closer to the peak of Bronze, and alchemical elixirs and potions to heighten your Foundation to superhuman levels? What else are you going to do? Try and fight more in your little arena? That path is dead, you’ve used up all the progression potential in gladiatorial combat for the Servi masses.” Antonias said.

“Fine,” I said, slightly defeated by the truth in his words. “You’re right.”

“What’s holding you back then?” He said.

I hesitated. “I’ve heard nasty things about the capital world of Iulius.”

“They have a penchant for cruelty and politics, yes. You’ll be jumping into a pit of snakes, but at least you’re not going to Terra.” Antonias said.

“I have heard that they treat Servi badly on Iulius.” I said.

“Compared to Lavinius or even Sunburst Station where the Servi are free roaming and full of pride and liberty, yes, they’re a far bit more willing to let the lash fall on Slaves’ backs.” Antonias said.

I looked down. “I guess I’ll just have to deal with it.”

“Iulius exists whether you bury your head in the sand or not over it. Think, if you truly become Gold as you say you will do, you can change all of that with a wave of your hand.” Antonias said.

“You’re right, Toni.” I said.

“So anyways, Caesia and I will certainly miss you when you’re gone which you will have to leave soon for to make the term and the initiation and weed out process.” Antonias said.

“What do you mean? You’re coming with me, Antonias.” I said.

“What, like as part of your retinue? My parents would die of shame if I was such a hanger on. Don’t worry, I’ll give you plenty of Servi to go along with you, free of charge.” He said.

“No, you will be coming with me as a fellow student.” I said.

He looked at me like I was very, very stupid. “Adrias, haven’t you been paying attention? The Scholarium is only for Bronzes. I’m a Copper.”

“I know, that’s why you’re going to become a Bronze in time.” I said.

“What?” Antonias’s face expressed surprise and disbelief. “Adrias, if I could just become a Bronze at the snap of my fingers, don’t you think I would do so? Don’t you think any Imperator here would do so? I’m not special like you.”

Everything special about me came from a magic ring, I thought cynically.

“How often on Sunburst Station does a Copper Imperator have a Bronze teacher?” I said.

“If it was that easy everyone would be Bronze. Imperators like us feed on victory and domination, I won’t be getting anything out of being beaten down by you and I sure as hell won’t beat you even if you stood still and let me wail on you, if that would even count as a victory to the gods on Heaven’s Peak in the first place.” Antonias said.

“This is part of my plan. I will train you and then have you fight other Imperators for wins.” I said.

“And how will we convince others to just be beaten down for the sake of my advancement? Imperators are prideful and not very helpful or generous as a group. They won’t let themselves be beat up one after another when I start winning unless we give them a reason to participate.” Antonias said.

“We’ll make the offer of joining me and going to the Scholarium as Bronzes with my help and training and pointers to anyone who wants it. Bring in Golds from the Brazen Chains to spar and teach them and make it apparent they will all fight under a Bronze Imperator’s instruction and watch.” I said.

“I just don’t know if I can win, is the problem, no matter how much you believe in me or want me to come with you to train as an officer for the Guard. My Foundation is damaged from drug and alcohol abuse and my skills are lacking in a combat or athletic sense.” Antonias said.

“I’ll make you into a better, stronger man. Reforge you.” I assured my friend.

“Alright, we don’t have a lot of time then.” Antonias said. “You want to spar this weekend or-“

“Do you have a place to train for hand-to-hand combat? In this estate, I mean?” I asked.

“Yes, but-“ Antonias said before I cut him off.

“Then your training begins right now.” I said.

“You know I really have this cramp in my back-“ He said.

I yanked him along. “Lead the way, princess.”

He kicked me. I laughed.

We descended levels and levels deep into the earth until we came to a concrete bunker. In the center was a painted circle.

“These walls looked smooth and unchipped.” I said, noting the features of the walls, floor and roof.

“Yeah, I’ve never used it.” He said.

“Get in place on the other side.” I said to him. “Bend your knees. No, lower- yes, like that!”

I stood across from Antonias in the ring. He looked terrified, his violet eyes opened wide. If we both weren’t as pale as an unpainted marble statue, I’m sure I would have seen the blood draining away from his face.

“Do your best to win and I’ll do my best to lose.” I said.