Orichalcum
First Post
Alea Iacta IX: An Easy Descent Chp. 18: Thine is the Kingdom
My dissertation is turned in, which means you can expect a lot of updates in quick succession over the next month. This extra-long one will at the least bring the battle to an end.
***
Quintus Caecilius Metellus finds himself in a marble-inlaid, lavishly furnished bedroom, decorated with small painted panels that are clearly the original work of the great Greek masters. As he blinks for a second, confused at the sudden change from the chaos of the battle in the cave, Hadriana, wife of Cimbrus Caesar, strides into the room. Upon seeing him, her face lights up with joy, and she runs to embrace him. It is at this point, right before she kisses him, that Metellus recognizes that Hadriana is wearing the most translucent of rose-colored Coan silk tunics, and that her garment barely stretches to mid-thigh.
For a moment, shocked, he kisses her back, but then recovers and stumbles backwards into the elegant couch.
"Nobilissima!" Metellus sputters. "What..."
"What's wrong, darling?" Hadriana cooes, trying again to embrace him. "Let's make ourselves another baby..."
"Another?" Metellus gasps.
"Of course, as beautiful as our Cimbra. She looks so much like you, Metellus. And soon we won't need to worry about my idiot of a husband. He'll be dead, and then we can resume our nights of passion!" Hadriana smiles enthusiastically, and leans in for another kiss.
Metellus evades her and makes a run for the open doorway, determined to get away. Hadriana grabs his ankle as he flees, and Metellus drags her along as he enters into the next room, the Imperial audience hall. In there, he sees Cimbrus Caesar, dressed in purple and gold and wearing the laurel wreath of a reigning Emperor. Tears are streaming down his face as he stares at a crystal that holds the faint image of a dead body within, and an onyx urn, brimming with some sort of grey liquid, sits on a pillar to his right.
But these are on the vague periphery of Metellus' vision, as he focuses in on the gladius that Cimbrus is pointing suicidally at his own heart.
***
Meanwhile, back in the dark cavern, the only foe remaining for our heroes is Scaevola himself. However, the philosopher, particularly aided by the Cap of Twilight, is himself still quite formidable. At least half of the time that Scaevola strikes the minds of the fighters, Wena or Heilyn is able to catch a momentary glimpse of light reflecting off a black chain, and direct the others where to hit. But with each blow, the Black Chain Philosopher pulls life from those around him to sustain himself, and gaping wounds have appeared on all of us.
In the most recent flurry of blows, Scaevola seems to have switched tactics to concentrate on the helpless Cimbrus and Metellus. Cornelia, who is standing next to the pair, can hear them both muttering, in pain and despair. Cimbrus whispers, "Better off dead. Better off with my shame and dishonor forgotten to the world." Metellus is similarly oblivious to her but murmurs more clearly, "Look, this isn't my fault. Or your fault. Just wake up!"
As a gaping wound opens in Cimbrus' chest, Cornelia can see the light at the end of the cavern begin to expand and grow, almost wide enough now to crawl through, and the cavern begins shaking. While no healer, Cornelia knows Cimbrus will die in a matter of moments. She flings her necklace to Lucretius, telling him to throw the baubles as needed, and desperately commands her psionic snake tattoo of healing, a long-ago present from Wena, to slither out the tips of her fingers and onto Cimbrus and heal him. As she presses her hand to Cimbrus' wound, Cornelia feels the world going dim around her.
Wena, a few seconds later, reaches the side of the three unconscious Romans, and applies the healing necessary to bring Metellus back from the brink of death. "Keep them from dying, and strike fast and hard!" she shouts. "Scaevola only gains strength the longer he survives. And he's....THERE, on the ground beside Cimbrus!" she points. At the same moment, Wena screams from the agony of her skin erupting with acidic burns and her mind recalling the most horrible memories of her childhood. Wena falls to the ground, slowly bleeding to death.
But Llyr, Marcus, Heilyn, and Lucretius each have one good chance at a shot.
***
Cornelia finds herself in the Imperial throne room, where Cimbrus is busily attempting to commit suicide, while Metellus tries to convince him otherwise. Somewhat to her surprise, Hadriana is wrapped around Metellus' legs lovingly, but Cornelia decides that this is just a distraction.
"I'll never be the Emperor my father was," Cimbrus tells Metellus. "I've achieved nothing honorable. I was carried away like luggage from my only battle, and another man took my place. My wife has abandoned me for you and borne a child who is not mine. Now Parthia is invading, and the Empire will fall. Better I die now and the world forget me forever than that I endure even more disgrace."
Metellus tries to remonstrate with him. "Your wife didn't abandon you." Hadriana appears about to protest this statement, but Cornelia slaps her, briefly quieting the woman. "Cimbra is your child, and Hadriana even now bears a son who will be your heir," Metellus continues. "This is all an evil nightmare into which you have been thrust by the Black Chain Philosopher. You must wake up and save yourself."
"Why wake to more shame? And if this is just a dream, then this will not hurt," Cimbrus responds, beginning to drive the swordpoint deeper into his abdomen.
"Wait!" Cornelia shouts, and the two men turn to stare at her. "Metellus, he can't recognize that this is a dream. But Scaevola is trying to make him self-damnatio memoriae, and that will destroy all of Roma as we know it. I think. "
She turns to Caesar, and speaks clearly and firmly to him. "Cimbrus, I swear to you, on my honor, that Metellus never slept with your wife. I know Cimbra, and she is your daughter. And your father lives even now and wins great victories for Roma."
"How do I know what is the truth and what is the lie?" Cimbrus answers her, a little more hope, perhaps, in his bleak expression.
And at this point, desperate but determined, Metellus gives the best speech of his entire life.
"Cimbrus Caesar, I understand why you have so many doubts and fears about your honor. I have had my own doubts, and it is hard not to question one's own worth when we are blessed with such great and heroic fathers.
But you are a good and brave man, and you have it in you to be a great Emperor. You do not have the decades of wisdom and experience that your father has, but they will come with time. You had the bravery to face the Druidic armies at Hadrian's Wall, and I never saw you flinch when assassins attacked you during your Triumph here in Roma.
Roma needs you now, more than ever. A fearful enemy, one who seeks to destroy all that has made our city and our civilization great, is trying to destroy Roma through killing you. You must not let that happen. You must assume your duty and your responsibility, and save us all." Metellus kneels, offering his sword to Cimbrus, who has been intent on his every word.
"Do not kill yourself, my Caesar. If you feel the need to avenge your honor, then slay me here as I kneel before you. But you must live for Roma."
Cimbrus blinks, a few times and seems lost in his thoughts. But after a few moments, he nods, and sheathes his sword safely, gesturing with his other hand for Metellus to rise.
"Thank you, Tribune, for reminding me that my duty to Roma outweighs my own sense of shame. I believe it is time for us to leave this nightmare, and return to our responsibilities." Cimbrus stands, and the world fades around the three of them, as Cornelia and Metellus, panicked, quickly grab hands with Caesar.
***
Back in the cavern, a deadly battle rages, and only I, Shast the monkey, notice when the three Romans' eyes weakly blink open and the hole of light begins to contract. Lucretius has thrown one of Cornelia's baubles, a deadly ball of ice shards. Although, moments later, Llyr sank to his knees gasping from the new wounds, mirrors of Scaevola's own, which had erupted all over his body, we can see blood dripping from the shadowy air. Marcus swings a mighty blow, and two screams of pain, coming from the shadows and Lucretius, ring out through the air. And finally, Llyr pulls out a last, special iron and silver ballista bolt, and Heilyn chants some last-minute spells over it.
"In the name of Lugh, let this bolt strike you down, Quintus Mucius Scaevola Calgacus Phelan, son of Maura of the Brigantes, traitor to your God and to all that is holy!" Heilyn and Llyr shout together, and release the trigger on the ballista.
It flies true, and embeds itself in...something, and a crash is heard as an invisible body tumbles finally to the ground. Heilyn is first to reach the area, and yanks the Cap of Twilight off the head of what is revealed to be a very, very dead philosopher. The walls of the dark tunnel begin to tremble and constrict around us. Gathering the bodies of our friends and Scaevola's victims, we stumble out of the dark cavern just as it collapses and fades into a tiny point of light. We find that the Black Chain Philosopher is no more than a distant memory.
My dissertation is turned in, which means you can expect a lot of updates in quick succession over the next month. This extra-long one will at the least bring the battle to an end.
***
Quintus Caecilius Metellus finds himself in a marble-inlaid, lavishly furnished bedroom, decorated with small painted panels that are clearly the original work of the great Greek masters. As he blinks for a second, confused at the sudden change from the chaos of the battle in the cave, Hadriana, wife of Cimbrus Caesar, strides into the room. Upon seeing him, her face lights up with joy, and she runs to embrace him. It is at this point, right before she kisses him, that Metellus recognizes that Hadriana is wearing the most translucent of rose-colored Coan silk tunics, and that her garment barely stretches to mid-thigh.
For a moment, shocked, he kisses her back, but then recovers and stumbles backwards into the elegant couch.
"Nobilissima!" Metellus sputters. "What..."
"What's wrong, darling?" Hadriana cooes, trying again to embrace him. "Let's make ourselves another baby..."
"Another?" Metellus gasps.
"Of course, as beautiful as our Cimbra. She looks so much like you, Metellus. And soon we won't need to worry about my idiot of a husband. He'll be dead, and then we can resume our nights of passion!" Hadriana smiles enthusiastically, and leans in for another kiss.
Metellus evades her and makes a run for the open doorway, determined to get away. Hadriana grabs his ankle as he flees, and Metellus drags her along as he enters into the next room, the Imperial audience hall. In there, he sees Cimbrus Caesar, dressed in purple and gold and wearing the laurel wreath of a reigning Emperor. Tears are streaming down his face as he stares at a crystal that holds the faint image of a dead body within, and an onyx urn, brimming with some sort of grey liquid, sits on a pillar to his right.
But these are on the vague periphery of Metellus' vision, as he focuses in on the gladius that Cimbrus is pointing suicidally at his own heart.
***
Meanwhile, back in the dark cavern, the only foe remaining for our heroes is Scaevola himself. However, the philosopher, particularly aided by the Cap of Twilight, is himself still quite formidable. At least half of the time that Scaevola strikes the minds of the fighters, Wena or Heilyn is able to catch a momentary glimpse of light reflecting off a black chain, and direct the others where to hit. But with each blow, the Black Chain Philosopher pulls life from those around him to sustain himself, and gaping wounds have appeared on all of us.
In the most recent flurry of blows, Scaevola seems to have switched tactics to concentrate on the helpless Cimbrus and Metellus. Cornelia, who is standing next to the pair, can hear them both muttering, in pain and despair. Cimbrus whispers, "Better off dead. Better off with my shame and dishonor forgotten to the world." Metellus is similarly oblivious to her but murmurs more clearly, "Look, this isn't my fault. Or your fault. Just wake up!"
As a gaping wound opens in Cimbrus' chest, Cornelia can see the light at the end of the cavern begin to expand and grow, almost wide enough now to crawl through, and the cavern begins shaking. While no healer, Cornelia knows Cimbrus will die in a matter of moments. She flings her necklace to Lucretius, telling him to throw the baubles as needed, and desperately commands her psionic snake tattoo of healing, a long-ago present from Wena, to slither out the tips of her fingers and onto Cimbrus and heal him. As she presses her hand to Cimbrus' wound, Cornelia feels the world going dim around her.
Wena, a few seconds later, reaches the side of the three unconscious Romans, and applies the healing necessary to bring Metellus back from the brink of death. "Keep them from dying, and strike fast and hard!" she shouts. "Scaevola only gains strength the longer he survives. And he's....THERE, on the ground beside Cimbrus!" she points. At the same moment, Wena screams from the agony of her skin erupting with acidic burns and her mind recalling the most horrible memories of her childhood. Wena falls to the ground, slowly bleeding to death.
But Llyr, Marcus, Heilyn, and Lucretius each have one good chance at a shot.
***
Cornelia finds herself in the Imperial throne room, where Cimbrus is busily attempting to commit suicide, while Metellus tries to convince him otherwise. Somewhat to her surprise, Hadriana is wrapped around Metellus' legs lovingly, but Cornelia decides that this is just a distraction.
"I'll never be the Emperor my father was," Cimbrus tells Metellus. "I've achieved nothing honorable. I was carried away like luggage from my only battle, and another man took my place. My wife has abandoned me for you and borne a child who is not mine. Now Parthia is invading, and the Empire will fall. Better I die now and the world forget me forever than that I endure even more disgrace."
Metellus tries to remonstrate with him. "Your wife didn't abandon you." Hadriana appears about to protest this statement, but Cornelia slaps her, briefly quieting the woman. "Cimbra is your child, and Hadriana even now bears a son who will be your heir," Metellus continues. "This is all an evil nightmare into which you have been thrust by the Black Chain Philosopher. You must wake up and save yourself."
"Why wake to more shame? And if this is just a dream, then this will not hurt," Cimbrus responds, beginning to drive the swordpoint deeper into his abdomen.
"Wait!" Cornelia shouts, and the two men turn to stare at her. "Metellus, he can't recognize that this is a dream. But Scaevola is trying to make him self-damnatio memoriae, and that will destroy all of Roma as we know it. I think. "
She turns to Caesar, and speaks clearly and firmly to him. "Cimbrus, I swear to you, on my honor, that Metellus never slept with your wife. I know Cimbra, and she is your daughter. And your father lives even now and wins great victories for Roma."
"How do I know what is the truth and what is the lie?" Cimbrus answers her, a little more hope, perhaps, in his bleak expression.
And at this point, desperate but determined, Metellus gives the best speech of his entire life.
"Cimbrus Caesar, I understand why you have so many doubts and fears about your honor. I have had my own doubts, and it is hard not to question one's own worth when we are blessed with such great and heroic fathers.
But you are a good and brave man, and you have it in you to be a great Emperor. You do not have the decades of wisdom and experience that your father has, but they will come with time. You had the bravery to face the Druidic armies at Hadrian's Wall, and I never saw you flinch when assassins attacked you during your Triumph here in Roma.
Roma needs you now, more than ever. A fearful enemy, one who seeks to destroy all that has made our city and our civilization great, is trying to destroy Roma through killing you. You must not let that happen. You must assume your duty and your responsibility, and save us all." Metellus kneels, offering his sword to Cimbrus, who has been intent on his every word.
"Do not kill yourself, my Caesar. If you feel the need to avenge your honor, then slay me here as I kneel before you. But you must live for Roma."
Cimbrus blinks, a few times and seems lost in his thoughts. But after a few moments, he nods, and sheathes his sword safely, gesturing with his other hand for Metellus to rise.
"Thank you, Tribune, for reminding me that my duty to Roma outweighs my own sense of shame. I believe it is time for us to leave this nightmare, and return to our responsibilities." Cimbrus stands, and the world fades around the three of them, as Cornelia and Metellus, panicked, quickly grab hands with Caesar.
***
Back in the cavern, a deadly battle rages, and only I, Shast the monkey, notice when the three Romans' eyes weakly blink open and the hole of light begins to contract. Lucretius has thrown one of Cornelia's baubles, a deadly ball of ice shards. Although, moments later, Llyr sank to his knees gasping from the new wounds, mirrors of Scaevola's own, which had erupted all over his body, we can see blood dripping from the shadowy air. Marcus swings a mighty blow, and two screams of pain, coming from the shadows and Lucretius, ring out through the air. And finally, Llyr pulls out a last, special iron and silver ballista bolt, and Heilyn chants some last-minute spells over it.
"In the name of Lugh, let this bolt strike you down, Quintus Mucius Scaevola Calgacus Phelan, son of Maura of the Brigantes, traitor to your God and to all that is holy!" Heilyn and Llyr shout together, and release the trigger on the ballista.
It flies true, and embeds itself in...something, and a crash is heard as an invisible body tumbles finally to the ground. Heilyn is first to reach the area, and yanks the Cap of Twilight off the head of what is revealed to be a very, very dead philosopher. The walls of the dark tunnel begin to tremble and constrict around us. Gathering the bodies of our friends and Scaevola's victims, we stumble out of the dark cavern just as it collapses and fades into a tiny point of light. We find that the Black Chain Philosopher is no more than a distant memory.