Cesar or Tempest here. No explanations, just straight to reading. Explanations are in the A.N
Man, it's cold. I wish there was something I could hug. "You can hold on to me for a bit. Just because you're cold baka!" Tsundere? No way! I reached my arms out and felt something warm and soft. "Don't touch me so much baka!"
"Sorry." I pulled her into a hug. So warm. I can hear her breathing and her heartbeat. Did I finally get isekeid? I opened my eyes and there she was Rin Tohsaka.
"Finally you look at me." What did I do to earn this? This is the life.
"Hey Jaxson, you awake? What the fuck? Why is there an anime girl in your bed?" Chysanor what? Then she disappeared.
"What the fuck did you do! What happened to Rin?" I sprung out of bed.
"Fuck would I know! I come here checking up on you and you cuddling an anime girl in your bed!" I'ma beat his ass. Who the fuck he think he is. Wait, why am I in my room?
"Wait what happened? Why am I in my room?" I calmed myself down in the confusion. What happened after he slashed my cheek? I brushed my cheek with my hand. Nothing there.
"You fainted after a minute. I carried you back to your condo." I fainted from that cut? That's weird.
"Oh thanks I guess. Do you mind if I kind of clean up?" He nodded.
"Yeah, just don't do anything weird." He walked out of my room. That was weird. Did I use the mist to create Rin? I need to try again.
"Concentrate." I thought of Rin from Fate Unlimited Blade.
"Why did you leave me Baka!" Holy shit it worked! Oh that's awesome! Time to test out some more stuff. I thought of more Rins. "Is one of me not enough for you?" Around 20 Rins said. Oh fuck! I'm going to have to do more later.
"Sorry." I waved as I thought them away. I fixed up my hair, sprayed some cologne and walked out. It was morning and it's could see the sun barely above the horizon. "Beautiful." I said to myself. I found Chrsyanor and Kelli in the living room watching Dance Moms.
"I swear that bitch Abby needs to give more time to Chloe! She's always favoring Maddie!" Kelli complained. Chrsyanor nodded silently, writing notes on a book.
"You ever watch Dance Moms Jaxson?" Chrsyanor asked, still writing.
"Yeah my ex recommended it. I watched it till Chloe left." They both nodded in agreement.
"Understandable. We are both team Chloe as well. There's pizza in the fridge. Be warned it has pineapple." Kelli cringed at the word pineapples.
"I'm fine with pineapple." I walked over to the fridge and threw a slice in the microwave.
"Disgusting." I heard Kelli mutter to herself. Pineapple on pizza isn't bad if done right. "Chris, can we watch insatiable? I'm tired of looking at Abby's face."
"Yeah, are you on the second season?" Insatiable? I love that show. Damn I remember my friends cringing when I told them I watch that.
"No I'm at the one with Roxy I think her name is?" Chrsyanor nodded and turned on insatiable. I sat down on the lazy boy with my pizza and watched with them.
10 Days later
"Y'all tryna binge Bunny Girl Senpai today?" It was my turn to choose what we were watching today. We were on the third floor above the dojo. Kelli was on her phone on the sofa and Chrys went somewhere.
"Yeah, turn it on. We're watching the movie too right?" Of course I love the movie.
"Yeah you wanna order something before we start?" We're going to be watching for over eight hours straight.
I heard the ding of the elevator and out came Chrys in a suit. He took off his tie and walked over. "What we watching today?"
"Bunny Girl Senpai." I answered.
He nodded, "I'll order some Chinese."
"Please let me order so you don't butcher the names." Kelli looked up from her phone.
"Go ahead, I need to change and shower anyways." He walked off to one of the bedrooms. Why didn't he just change first? I turned on Bunny Girl and Kelli ordered Chinese. We waited for Chrys to come back up but he was taking a bit longer than expected. I got a text saying to start without him.
An hour went by and Chrys didn't come back yet. Then we heard the elevator and out came Luke and Chrys. "Luke?" Luke had a duffel bag, backpack and his sword with him.
"I'll be staying here for the night. You guy's got something to eat?" Luke said casually.
Once Luke got some leftovers from the fridge we all sat in the living room. "Jaxson you're going to get your first mission soon." He turned to Chrys. "Make sure he's prepared for Operation Iron Eagle. We've already begun preparations." He turned back to me. "Remember you're our ambassador. Represent what we stand for but do not let others push you to the back."
I nodded. My first mission. I feel butterflies in my stomach and I feel kind of excited. "I understand. Where am I going for my mission?"
Luke sighed. "I can't tell you that yet. If I tell you it may jeopardize the mission. Just work as hard as possible." He took a sip of his Pepsi. "Kelli, you know what your mission is, correct?"
Kelli nodded. "I've already made necessary preparations. Tammi will be here in the coming week."
"Good. Well I'll be off to bed. I have to leave early in the morning." He left without saying another word.
That left the three of us silent thinking. "You guys want to continue watching? I motioned to the TV.
Kelli nodded and Chrys shook his head. "I'm going to call it a night. You guys watch without me." He went back down to his floor and me and Kelli watched the rest of Bunny Girl that night.
The next day I awoke to find I did not conjure another cute tsundere in my sleep and Luke had already left. Chrys got tougher in training, having me work harder and longer. He began making me fight unarmed and with different weapons while he remained armed with a sword. Kelli helped me with my charmspeak and my mist control. This continued over the course of three months. I didn't receive any word about the mission since Luke informed me I had one. Over those three months I'm now decent at using a sword or at least that's what Chrys tells me and my charmspeak and mist control are twice as good. I can now create entire rooms and even an apartment. And I can control the emotions of everyone in a 200ft radius. Something neither Chrys nor Silence likes. Luckily for them I can't use it often as it tires me significantly and it attracts unnecessary attention. Speaking of Silence the little guy is still a baby and hasn't reached adulthood yet.
And then on a fateful Sunday morning I woke up alone in a cave. "So you have awakened young pup. You remind me of a young Remus whom I cared for so long ago." A soft elegant voice spoke in the darkness of the cave. I could hear movement around me. "Worry not your first trial shall not begin today. Your mother has spared you, giving you to me on the day of the sun." My mother? Wait, who's my mother? Who am I? "You are no one. All great heroes were born as no one. Will you join them I wonder? Your blood smells of the Julians yet you not have their eyes." The voice neared closer and closer till I could see who it was speaking to me. A wolf. Frightened, I crawled back trying to escape. "Are you frightened of me? Good. You are not stupid. But do not worry I will not sacrifice a pup so early. Follow me if you wish not to die. Your mother would be quite disappointed if you did." I followed the wolf into the early morning it was still dark and the sun had just begun to rise. "Do you smell it?"
"Smell what?" My voice chose to work at that moment.
"It is the same smell as the morning the twins came under my protection. The smell of Troy. The smell of home. You, my child, may bring it to me. Bring me back to my home. Bring me back to the home my children built. Bring me back the pride we once had. Bring me back the honor we once kept. For I will do anything to see my children walk the streets paved by their ancestors not as peasants but as rulers." I stood still watching the sun rise with the wolf. And I too could feel her pain. Her longing of home. Even though I knew not what it was.
She took me to a stream afterwards. "You will learn how to fish here. Do not grab the fish directly. Grab it farther ahead." So I did for the rest of the day the wolf watching ne as I did.
"What do I call you?" I had been fishing for at least an hour. Whatever an hour is.
"I am Mother Lupa. Carer of the Roman people." Mother Lupa. Mother of Romans. "Now fish till the fish notice you." I fished till nightfall. The bank behind me was covered in fish. My hands were wrinkled to Oblivion and I was reaching my limit. Mother Lupa walked to the shore and nudged my shoulder. "You have done enough, you shall start again tomorrow."
I lazily followed her to the cave where I slept on the cold floor. I saw myself floating in a green liquid in my dreams. I was still and nude. My eyes closed.
"Wake child. You shall start again. You may eat any fish you catch today." Mother Lupa spoke her words echoing in the small cave.
"Yes, Mother Lupa. " I answered and got up slowly.
This routine continued for five nights. Mother Lupa would wake me and I would fish till night.
"Wake child. You shall not fish tonight. You shall build a lodge for yourself. Tomorrow you shall do both fish and build." The sun had just risen as Mother Lupa pushed an axe towards me. "Do not stand in front of the tree you cut. Remain to the side." I nodded and went to start. It took until noon for me to cut three large redwoods. Mother Lupa watched me in the distance. As I did so. I decided to cut them in half and for the walls. I need to cut twenty three more for all the walls, roof and floor at least. With that sad revelation I cut more redwoods and built two walls during the night.
I had horrible headaches. The following day Mother Lupa calmed me down and let me have a day off. But it was the only day I'll get. She said it was necessary to become a Roman. I would cut trees into the night and fish before day break. After a few days of hard work I had enough wood to start building the top and work on the floor. I spent another two days building a makeshift staircase large enough for me to carry the logs up. Mother Lupa continued to tell me all Romans were builders . And blood washes away but buildings stand as long as those around it will it.
Once the lodge was complete I stayed inside it at night and started working on a hammock. "You will make a bow. In the south there is a tree with drooping hair. Cut a branch and come back." That was my mission. I left the next morning and headed south using the sun as my compass.
I found the tree alone in a small field. Using the axe I cut a branch. It was close to sunset and it took the entire day to trek to the tree. How I managed not to get loss was beyond me. I left marks on the trees I passed to help guide me back. I decided to camp next to the tree. Drinking what was left of my water and a little bit of fish. I climbed the tree and slept till sunrise. A crow woke me up as it cawed in my ear. I set off into the woods to find my way back. I reached the lodging at night fall and fell asleep in my lodging.
The next morning Lupa instructed me on how to shave the branch into a bow. I had only one chance or I would have to trek back to the tree. I carved the shape of the bow on the branch and began shaving it off. After that I created a notch on the top and bottom. I ripped fabric from my tattered shirt and braid it together to make a bow string.
With the bow complete I gathered some sticks and looked for some rocks. Mother Lupa had not instructed me how to make the arrows as she stated it would be unnecessary in the future. Instead she simply showed me an arrow and had me break it apart. Then I had to put it back together with some glue.
Now I was ready to hunt. We headed down into a small valley where the Bucks like to feed. Silently we creeped up on them. "Patience child. Do not rush the kill. Everything must be done properly." My stomach rumbled in disagreement. But I listened and slowly I aimed the bow at the heart of the creature and let go. I missed the heart as the Buck did not fall but instead ran off leaving a small trail of blood. "Follow the trail. Do not let the creature suffer." Following the blood trail I found the deer on it's side whimpering. I wanted to kill it and end it's suffering. But all I could do was stare into its eyes. They were pleading to me. 'Let me die' they said. But I didn't. I watched. Until it finally died.
The next day Mother Lupa woke me up. "I would like you to do me a favor. Imagine a bow. And put your hand out." I did so. I did not wish to question Mother Lupa. I felt something in my stomach. "Concentrate, do not lose focus." Concentrate. A bow identical to the one I had built was in my hand. "You can build things child. But I did not want you to simply build things without knowing how they are built. As how can one build without a blueprint." She walked away afterwards and I was left stunned.
I walked to the valley where I had killed the deer. And I tried remembering things from my past. Papers, signs, sofas and a house. The house I could not replicate completely, it was too small. I continued doing so day after day until. One day I was tending to the fire as I asked "Mother Lupa, am I almost ready?" She got up and walked over to me. She sniffed me and thought.
"Almost my child. Come, it is time to give you a name." She walked back to the cave and I followed her as her silver pelt glowed in the faint light. We reached the back of the cave where I saw a mural. Many faces all looking different places. "My child whose eyes shall you follow?" All the faces stuck out to me as I put my hand on the mural and followed it to the end where one face looked at me.
"This one Mother Lupa." She walked beside me and put one paw on the man's face.
"Aurelianus. Oh my child you may be the one I have been waiting for. You my child are now Remus Gaius Aurelianus. It is time for you to meet your brothers and sisters. Follow." Remus Gaius Aurelianus. That is who I am.
I followed Mother Lupa from the cave into the woods I had come to master so soon. The crickets became silent as we walked past. In the silence we continued not a word was spoken. My feet had long since been comfortable walking on the forest floor with all it's twigs. We continued deeper into the forest than before until an arch was found. "Here my child. Pass through the gate alone. Join your siblings. Follow your namesake."
"Yes mother." I knew not of the man I was named after. But I shall listen to Mother Lupa. I walked through the arch following a crumbling footpath down a small hill. When I reached the bottom of the hillside I saw the eternal city reborn. It's white walls glowing in the dark like Mothers fur. The yellow lights of the city glowing so bright one could say the sun had already risen. Autonomously I continued forward with my eyes watching the white walls as I walked alongside them. Sticking my hand out to touch it, the wall was smooth. I saw a young woman and man on top of the wall looking down on me.
"Dakota, stop drinking and open the gates. We got another from Mother Lupa." The woman spoke. Her voice was strong and calm, a leader's as Mother Lupa had taught. The gates opened as I walked in.
"Come with us brother. Rest tonight and tomorrow you shall prove your worth." A young man with hair darker than the night. I did not know how to respond. After all, how could I? I know nothing about myself nor my previous situation. "Before we leave brother, what was the name Mother Lupa gave you?"
Finally a question I could answer something I genuinely knew about myself. "Remus Gaius Aurelianus." I answered.
"So you're the last one." He stared at me for a second before continuing. "I'll take you to the Palace of Augustus then. Your colleagues will want you protected by the Palatini." I nodded as I followed him through the city. The houses made of Marble. The Roads paved perfectly and smooth. Churches and temples bigger than any I have seen before. Wait, I've seen a church? Is my memory returning? "Are you alright?" Dakota I believe his name is asked.
"Yeah, just tired." He nodded and continued slowing his pace. As we grew closer to the center the more beautiful and large the buildings became. Statues of different men and women, Obelisks, a Pantheon shaped building and more. All were insignificant compared to the Palace of Augustus. Completely made of Marble in the outside. Four guards in purple armor stood in protection of the entrance. We walked past the guards that watched as we entered. Two guards appeared to guide us to my quarters. They were silent, not speaking a word. Not that it mattered. I was looking at the artwork in the Palace. Paintings, more sculptures, vases, chalices and a pair of Jordan 1s. We walked up the stairs greeted by two more guards and I was shown my quarters.
"You'll be staying here for the foreseeable future. Someone will wake you in the morning so you may prove yourself to the cohorts and Tetrarchy. Have a goodnight and may Sol watch over you." He walked away leaving me alone in the room. I explored the room covered with purple and gold decor. From the sheets to the book shelf. Which had a single Red book that stuck out in the sea of purple. I layed in bed after amply exploring the room and fell asleep in comfort.
I awoke to drumming and a roar of people. I was no longer in the room, instead I was in a hall underground. "Now our final fighter! He arrived last night from the woods of Mother Lupa! Will he be the Final Agustus? Or will he be a Fraud? We shall test his might today! Isn't that right, Rome?" A large cheer from the crowd shook the ground from under me. My clothes were missing and replaced with leather armor. A helmet lay beside me. It too was made with leather. I got up and wore the helmet as I walked into the sunlight.
The sun blinded my eyes and forcing me to look away. "Does he look like a Roman to you?"
"NOOOO!" The crowd roared back in response.
"He will be facing the last of the Thracians today! The last of a bloodline that survived the slaughter committed by the Barbarian Attila the Hun! Our very own.. Markus! Spartacus! Severus!" The crowd cheered in approval and a large tanned man walked out. Now being able to see I could see how huge the arena was. At least half the size of a football field. In length and width. To the right of me were weapons. Swords, shields, spears, bows and knives. I grabbed two swords, it was what felt right. "Not very Roman at all! Two swords! If he had grabbed all the Pila that would've been more Roman!" Laughter from the crowd. It enraged me. I will show them.
The red headed Thracian picked up a sword and shield. His arms covered in a circular tattoo going to his shoulder. He contemplated and put a spear on his back. He walked forward. I did the same. The helmet was not on right and it began to bother me. So I threw it to the ground. "So the "Agustus" wishes us to see his face! Doesn't look anymore Roman to me!" More laughter from the crowd. Even the Thracian laughed. As he continued his march forward. The crowd threw gold coins with every step he took glittering in the sky. I continued forward as well. We reached the center of the arena where a circle drawn in the sand lay.
We stood still until the Thracian threw his spear towards me and charged forward. I dodged the spear and braced for impact. He ran right into me knocking the air out of me. Fuck. Swinging my right hand trying to land a hit on his side he knocked the sword out my hand and bashed me with his shield. Over and over again. My vision was becoming red. I'm fading in and out. I can't last much longer "Is this Mother Lupa's chosen? Oh Mother how you've fallen."
Crassus P.O.V
"He doesn't seem to be as powerful as the others Crassus." Such disrespect of Mother Lupa's name. I will have a word with him later.
"Mother Lupa does not let the weak survive. And she trains them to become Roman. She did not train him the ways of a legionary. Either he is a fake or he is special, Lepidus." My fellow Consul, strong and intelligent he may be knows not of Mother Lupa and her teachings. He lifted his mask to move the red hair that entered into the mask. I sometimes forget Mother Lupa did not teach him.
"The Thracian is not letting up on him is he?" No he isn't. He is being quite brutal today.
"As member of the Palatini we should expect no less. And he is no Thracian he is Roman. His forefathers proved that long ago. And that is dismissing the strength he has himself. A candidate for Praetor even Consul if one of us passes." Lepidus nodded acknowledging his mistake.
"My apologies. I was in the moment so to say. Yes, young Markus is a true Roman. But trouble always seems to follow the lad. Such as this." He motioned his drink to the arena. "He did not volunteer to fight in the arena. The Plebeians chose him and he obliged. He is not one to forsake the honor of the Palatini. Nevertheless I will make sure David learns no longer to call him Thracian unless he condones it."
"Be sure he honors his word. He is known to be forgetful." The new Agustus was on the floor while the crowd lavished Markus with Denari. The Agustus lifted his hand and the arena went dark. Fear was present everywhere in the arena. Our masked guards quickly lit the emergency flares and threw them into the arena. Lighting up the floor. "Stay calm Romans! This is no attack! This is the Agustus's strength!" I yelled into the darkness.
"No worries Crassus I'll make sure no damage is done to the people of Rome nor by them." It was Majorian who called from behind. She lit up the dome once again and we could see the arena once more. The Agustus and Markus stood eyeing each other. Power radiated from the center as the panic stopped.
"May I go all out?" Markus turned to us and asked.
"No, but you may use five." Majorian answered back. He nodded and turned back to the Agustus who waited patiently for his move.
"May the warriors of Thrace bless me with their presence!" An angelic presence fell from the top of the dome. In full armor five men landed gracefully on the floor. "Dacians on me!" The ten Dacian guards in their Damascus armor engraved with their customary wolves. They came from the entrance of the arena behind Markus with their own ceremonial swords. Their wolves following close behind. The Agustus stood unfazed as two new swords appeared in his hands dripping in black liquid. He ran towards them without a care. The guards living and dead created part of a testudo. The wolves tried surrounding the Agustus but were to slow. A pad formed in front of the Agustus as he jumped over the testudo, wiping two Thracians with his swords. Dyeing their pale figures black. A wave of fear hit the whole stadium as he looked up at Markus. All noise was silenced as the Agustus got up. Smiling his hair started changing color. Quickly Markus took out his side knife and cut his arm on his tattoos. The remaining Thracians went from angelic white to blood red as they grew in size and were reformed. It did not matter to the Agustus he pointed at the Thracians as a massive blade fell from the sky letting the light of Sol come through and piercing the skin of the now giant red Thracians. The Dacians threw pila at the Agustus as another wall was built stopping the pila. then all of the Agustus's creations faded away as he collapsed once more. Quickly Markus and the Dacians surrounded him with their weapons pointed. The wolves snarling as they watched him closely.
"Majorian I think he is the one." Lepidus said, still watching the arena.
"It seems so. I'll handle this from here."
Took quite a bit to write such a short fight scene. Sorry if the Lupa part is a bit long I had it shorter but it didn't seem right and I needed to get him prepared for Markus.
The first Agustus makes their appearance as well. Majorian, daughter of you'll find out later.
Next chapter will be much like the earlier chapters with more world building this time of New Rome. The Roman characters are going to be fun to write.
Now for the elephant in the room. The sudden switch from normal Jaxson to Remus Gaius Aurelianus. The switch was always going to be a problem with me. The obvious idea is a time skip which I did a mini one. But I don't want Jaxson just training in the background. After all, he still has to meet The Golden Lion and Purple Eyes. Not to mention Sea of Monsters hasn't even happened yet so Renya and Hylla still work for Circe.
In this chapter I also came to the realization of making this first person instead of having a narrator. It gets hard sometimes because I'm a pretty simple guy and some things aren't based on thought and more instinct. So if you ever feel a lack of emotion that's my bad.
Tell me what y'all think from the limited view of the Romans so far.
By the way the Tetrarchy was a system of government run by 4 basically emperors and was made by Emperor Diocletian. Two emperors held parts of the East and West. And the other two had the entire East or West.
On that note Cesar or Tempest out.