"When one dies, they shall be escorted to the River Styx by Mors, the God of death. There, they are met by Charon, the ferryman. A coin, an obolus, will have been placed in the mouth of the one who traverses to the underworld, to pay Charon. This payment is not of money, it symbolizes the relationship between relationship between Gods and Men, acknowledging the debt to the gods and their protection and guidance to Man.
On the other side of Styx, they will pass Cerberus, the three headed canine guardian belonging to Father Pluto, God of the Underworld. Cerberus will be friendly, only becoming hostil when shades try to flee the Underworld.
Then they will go before the three judges, Minos, Rhadamanthos and Aeacus, who will ask them to account for their life. After they make their accounting, they will be given the water of the River Lethe, the river of forgetfulness and one of five Rivers in the Underworld, which makes them forget their past life. Afterward they shall be sent to the Elysian Fields if they've been a warrior or hero; The Plain of Asphodel, if they've been a good citizen, where they will continue to live a good life as a shade; or if they've offended the Gods, to Tartarus, where you'll be punished by the Furies until their debt to society is paid.
Sometimes, Pluto or Proserpina, the Queen of the Underworld, will reprieve a candidate and send them back to live once more. He is given water from the River Lethe and sent back across the Styx, along with a gift to bestow to Cerberus.
Charon will them ferry you back toward the plain of life where you shall live again."
Songs of Pluto
Outskirts of New Thebes, Anhur
Night fell over the skies of Anhur. The fires, and explosions so numerous they almost gave the city of New Thebes a peaceful glow from the distance. Gaius new this was not the case.
It seemed almost unreal to the aged general, Pax Imperium had officially ended to fantastic results. The occupation of two alien systems was swift, with little casualties to the Empire itself. Gauis would be lying if he said he didn't feel a touch of pride as he looked at the smouldering city, his men were bringing glory to Mars on this day.
The first colony that was taken by the Imperials was of little value, a planet almost entirely made up of desert, with only a few settlements scattered near the poles to avoid the extreme temperatures, it was taken in less than three days.
This planet, this Anhur, as the Centurions had named it, was a prime example of a habitable world, although a little brisk in temperature, it would make a for great colonist settlement, and land for the men who served here.
The only issue were the Batarians who would remain. When it was announced throughout the city via pamphlets, and repeating the announcement through all known channels that the custody of Anhur would be permanantly under the Imperial fold, the Empire had given any Batarians who wished to leave the chance.
Very few took this offer, and showed at the ports to be transported to Batarian space. This left the Empire with a very big problem, what to do with an insurgent population. Tensions would remain on this planet for centuries if the Batarian population was not brought to knee, and although Gaius did not necessarily support Scipio's plan for Rapiendo, he had to agree that it might be effective.
The Empire simply could not afford a population of dissident citizens, and if that meant a few had to die for a lasting peace on this world, it simply had to be done. The good of the Empire took precedence over all individual concerns.
After their meeting with the Citadel Council Gauis made it a point to visit the soldiers on the battlefield, hoping to give the younger generals wise council, but he would be lying if he said he didn't have ulterior motives. He hoped to see Marius, it had been years since the Demeter rebellions, and the boy continued to avoid him.
Gaius pondered if the boy was simply still in shell shock, the first battle was always the hardest. Gaius often wondered if he had done something to offend the child, but he just couldn't understand what it was. Deep down Gaius knew what it was, though he seldom liked to dwell on it.
Ever since he had been a young boy Marius was faithful in his sacrifice, and worship of the Gods. Before his father died, the young boy had ambitions to join the priesthood, but after the death of the elder Orustus, something changed in the boy.
Rather than stick to his devotions to all the Gods, Marius formed an obsession, and personal devotion to Mars. His participation in the Sanguine Martem was proof of this.
Gaius wished to just speak to the boy he felt as his surrogate son, but unfortunately, in typical Marius fashion, he had volunteered to go to the front lines, a place Gaius, now a citizen, was not allowed to go anywhere near, dispite his military service.
Gaius despised this rule, but understood that if one citizen was allowed on the front to see a loved one, they would all want the same privilege. Gaius' reunion would have to wait.
He had to admit, he had never been in a battle such as this through his whole career in the military. The Empire had been in Pax Imperium since the whole of Terra was united. He envied the chance to bring such glory to Mars, but was content to see the younger generation rising to the occation, and successfully demonstrating that their people would successfully uphold the mantle presented to them by the VIII.
He often wondered if his own generation would have been able to handle such a stress, he often thought not. After all when the rebellions on Demeter had broken out it was he who gave the order to fire on civilians, an order he regretted to this day.
So many of the young ones he had seen grow up in Roma had changed after that day. Scipio fell into such a hedonist stupor, that Baccus would blush. Scipio still to this day seemed to drown any emotions of the battle down with drink, and song. Gaius couldn't blame him, afterall the burden of blame was placed on Scipio, not Gaius himself.
Marius had refused to speak to him, delving deeper into the Martian cult. Long gone was the charming boy he had helped to raise, and in his place was a cold distant shade, who seemed to arise from the underworld only to seek vengeance upon himself.
Countless others had simply retired, or found solace in the routines that the legion provided, but as the two Centurions sent to Demeter, Scipio,and Marius seemed to be the most scarred from the experience.
"Sir, the men are ready." A Legion commander said as he saluted Gaius.
Returning the Salute, Gaius responded, "Of course, lead the way."
As they made their way through the camp, he saw the ground littered with the dead, and wounded. How lucky they are to sacrifice so much, and bring glory to the Gods, and the VIII he thought, proud of these Imperial soldiers.
If only his own generation had had the oppurtunity, he knew he and the men of his age would never walk the fields of Elysium, but would instead have to settle for the Plains of Asphodel.
Rising to a platform that had been set up for him, he saw hundreds of the men in the makeshift headquarters come forward to hear him speak, "Soldiers, I do not know you. I do not know if you faithfully follow the teachings of the Gods, or if you touch yourself while staring at images of Venus."
The men laughed, Gaius paused to chuckle and continued, "I do not know if you are rich or poor, I do not know if you are blessed or cursed, but I do know one thing! You serve Mars in this place! On this planet, do not be afraid to perish here for you will awaken on green grass, and bask in the sun as you ride through the fields of Elysium! You, soldiers of the Empire, soldiers of Roma, conquer this world, subjugate these people, bring glory to the VIII, bring glory to the Gods, bring glory to the EMPIRE!"
Thunderous applause echoed throughout the night as the troops charged into the City of New Thebes with a zeal unmatched since the conquest of Terra.
Gaius had to wonder, would these rivers too run red?
New Thebes, Anhur
Marius kicked open the doors of the Batarian temple. He didn't know anything of Batarian religion, he just knew it was one of the few places that would not be completely destroyed, destruction of temples being punishable by flogging.
Angering the Gods, any Gods was considered a taboo practice. The Gods of an enemy were to be as respected as even the Empire's own. For if these Gods were shown respect, they would not resist the Empire so, but if mocked, they might give the enemy the power of perserverence.
Walking into the temple he saw intricate spirals decorate the walls, and ceilings. He wondered what these could possibly mean, did the Batarian religion believe that now matter what we were on a fixed destination, spiraling toward a common center. This would explain the cast system that he had learned about from interrogating Batarian prisoners. If you believed that all was pre-ordained, than superiority was natural, and you simply could not fight such a fate.
The Imperial religion shunned this, it was through ones own merit that they attained any in life, the Gods rewarded hard work, and devotion, and scorned slothness. One was not simply given respect because of their birthright or their holdings, but by their own deeds. Working ever to gain the wisdom, and mercy of the Gods.
"We will stay here tonight." He stated bluntly as he started to disassemble his armor. First came his charred centurion helmet, the mohawk almost entirely having been burned off by now. Inspecting the damage Marius was almost tempted to disgard the obviously broken piece of armor.
Next came his pallium, the black and red cloak having also been burned, but could still function as a suitable blanket for the night.
"How did you manage to do that?" Asked the recruit as she started a small fire in a wastebin, the amber flames accentuating her exotic features.
Marius continued to remove his armor, "The first day we arrived my shuttle was hit, we crashed on the outskirts of the city." The occupation of the Batarian systems had been far from easy, they had a patriotism that allowed them to fight on, even after they were hopelessly defeated. A quality Marius had to admit he admired.
He often wondered if his own people would have that drive when the Messosum finally appeared from the darkness. Could they hold true to the mantle, and fight till the last man, even if their fate mirrored that of the Bellators? Only the Gods knew such answers, and he prayed for them every night, but the Gods were tricky in their signs.
Looking for something to keep the flame burning, the recruit approached an altar, and found a long piece of paper. It appeared to be a scroll of somekind, with beautiful artwork, accompanied by the alien language of the Batarians. The recruit shugged, and grabbed it with the intention of burning it.
Before she could make it halfway to the fire Marius grabbed her hand, "What are you doing recruit?" he asked coldly. Could she be that disrespectful to Gods? He questioned himself.
"Trying to keep warm, and my name is Domitia, not recruit." She said trying to wiggle out of his grip, but to no avail. Domitia was tired of answering to this obviously demented brute, she didn't even want to be on this planet, she was only performing her mandatory service.
Marius, who by this point was out of his armor, and only wearing his form fitting underclothes tightened his grip, "Put it back...Now." He said through gritted teeth. He was appalled at this action, only a heretic would go against the Mercies of Vasha, and destroy a religious text, regardless of if it was not even their own.
Domitia for the first time looked directly at the Centurion, and was shocked. He was probably no older than she, but the haunted look in his eyes made him seem like the old old veterans who spent there days in the Temple of Mars.
He had obviously seen battle, and was weary of all the hardship it brought with it. "Why?" She asked as he finally let get go.
Shaking his head, "The last thing we want to do is anger any Gods who already inhabit this world, and plus we are not barbarians, we don't destroy sacred relics." He said, picking up a chair and breaking it apart throwing the peices of wood into the flames. "Forgive me for Gods who inhabit this temple for destroying your property, we must keep warm for tonight, I shall offer you tribute one day to make up for my offense."
Domitia sat on the ground across from the Centurion, pretending to inspect the cuts on her bronze skin, "I honestly don't understand you Centurion." It was true, to Domitia he was an enigma. How could one be so ruthless towards his enemies, yet be so respectful of them. How could one be so pious, yet so ruthless. What had driven this man to become how he was?
Marius shrugged his shoulders, "I am Marius Orustus Centurion of the 7th legion, servant of Mars. There is not much else."
Was this true? He wondered, was he just merily that. A Centurion of the line of Orustus, their had certainly be countless Centurions of the Orustus line, but none had given their life to Mars, none had slaughtered imperial citizens as he, none were destined for Tartarus.
Domitia did a double take, "You're a descendent of Sartorius Orustus?" She couldn't believe it, sitting in front of her was the blood of one of the most famous men to ever serve the Empire.
She had always thought of Sartorius as a regal figure, a great general. Not this ruthless beast that sat in front of her. This only furthered her confusion.
Marius looked at her, green eyes sagging from exhaustion, "Yes. Over a thousand years ago, my ancestor was blessed by Jadaron." He must have heard the story of his ancestor Sartorius a thousand times. How he accompanied the VIII on many conquests until he died. He managed to make himself a central figure to the history of the Empire. Marius was proud of this lineage, but he was burdoned by its weight.
It was not Sartorius' fault, he was only a loyal subject, he could not have possibly imagined the weight it would bear on his decendents. Still Marius sometimes cursed Sartorius for his devotion, if he had been a farmer, a simple soldier...things might have been different for Marius.
"That is a proud heritage, his spirit must watch over you." Domitia said after taking a swig of water from her canteen. Removing her helmet she let her short raven hair breath for the first time that day.
Marius was not so sure of that, it had been a long time since he had made an offering to the spirits of his ancestors, and he was sure that Sartorius would be ashamed of his anctions during the rebellions on Demeter. A man who had given his whole life to uniting the Empire would surely disdain a man who killed Imperial citizens. "Maybe."
"What is that medallion around your neck?" Domitia asked, curious as to its origins, "I saw you praying over dead Batarians earlier, you always make sure to hold it when you do."
Marius look at the medallion, inspecting the spear, and image of Mars, he remembered the day his father had given it to him as a young boy. "It has been in my family since the time of Sartorius. It was gifted to him by Jadaron, who instructed our family to keep it safe for all time."
Domitia's eyes widened at that, a relic from the VIII was simply hanging off the neck of the man next to her. She felt closer to the VIII for the first time in years. She would not lie, she had not been as devoted as she should have been. Focusing more on her own personal problems, than on the Empires. She knew this made her one of the weaker Imperial citizens that the politicians, and priests always raved against, but right now she was given the honor to being closer to the Gods than ever. She was sitting next to the line of Orustus. Was this the Gods granting her a second chance?
They sat in silence for a few hours, Domitia falling asleep as she stared into the orange flames. Marius was left to his thoughts. He looked over to the sleeping form of Domitia, from her smooth skin, and the soft curvature of her body. A woman like her would've made an agreeable wife, she could give him heirs, and the Orustus line would continue strong. Once he had craved this life, a life of the priesthood, a life of devotion to the Gods, and his family.
Marius had to chuckle a little at that, he could never have that life after his oath to Mars, he was to fight until his dying breath. His cousins could carry on the Orustus line, but as far as he was concerned, he wanted his tree to remain barren. He could never be a father to a child, having lost his own father so young.
How could one know what it is to be a father without having had one themselves, Gaius had tried of course, but Marius never could let him replace the father he barely knew. He could not spit on his forebears memory so.
Getting up he moved toward the alter of the temple, "Gods of the Batarians. You do not know me, and I apologize if I have given offense, but hear me now." He commanded looking into the central spiral at the front of the altar. Outlined in gold it had an almost hypnotizing quality, "I do not want to slaughter anymore of the innocent on this planet, soften their hearts, let them submit."
If more bloodshed could be avoided Marius had to pray for it. He was tired of this slaughter, the Batarians would lose no matter how hard they fought, their submission was innevitable. If they gave up now, they could be spared further suffering.
An explosion suddenly rocked the temple, and Marius flew back, his unarmored body hitting a pillar, and most certainly breaking a rib. Getting up, his vision blurred, and ears rang, the dust from the explosion almost blinding him.
Falling a few times before he found his foot he looked over to where Domitia had been lying he saw red liquid seeping out from beneath the rubble. Lowering his head he spoke, "Charon, ferry her to the Elysian fields."
Another citizen dead on his watch, Marius was about to curse Jupiter, when suddenly he heard screaming from under the rubble. Rushing over to where she was, he got as much of the rubble off of her as possible before checking her for injuries. Thankfully her armor had protected most of her body, but she still probably had a collapsed lung, and many broken bones, aswell as a concussion.
Looking to where he had put his armor, all Marius saw was the various broken parts tossed about. Cursing Vulcan, who was supposed to guide the hands of the craftsman who made his armor, Marius lifted Domitia on his backand exited the temple, and proceeded to walk the abandoned streets of New Thebes.
Looking out into the sky he saw Imperial ships bombarding the city. Marius was enraged, the only one who could have sanctioned such an order was Scipio. Imperial soldiers still inhabited the city, soldiers lives were being destroyed...Imperial citizens were being killed. This sacrilege could not continue.
It took time, but Marius eventually made his way toward the outskirts of the city. Trying desperately to avoid the bombs, and the hysteria of the Batarian civilians, and Imperial soldiers.
Finally he saw an Imperial outpost, flying high the banner of the Empire, he felt relief wash over him.
"Halt, this is an Imperial outpost, if you are here to surrender you will have to go to Castra Outpost in the northern sector of the city!"
Marius laughed, and continued his approach, the guards must have thought he was a Batarian in the dark, "Hol-" before he could finish his words, he felt the heat of a pulse round rip through his leg.
Falling to his knees Marius cried out, but did not drop Domitia. "You fools I am a Centur-"
Another round slammed into his chest, ripping through him, and still more came, until he dropped Domitia,and fell to the ground. Desperately grasping his medallion Marius offered his last prayer, "Hear me Mars, Hear me...Mars...I am Marius Orustus...I have done my duty...I offer my blood...as yours."
Blood spilled from his mouth as he looked up to the stars, he wondered which star was Sol, and if he could see Roma one last time.
Desperately he tried to catch his breath, but to no avail. He thought of his sister, and Gaius...relationships he would never be able to mend. He thought of his families villa in Roma, and lastly he thought of the Batarian child he had killed, and hoped that he would find the boy playing in the Elysian Fields.
"Cease fire! Cease fire! We need a medic!" Yelled the one legion recruit who realized that they had fired at a Centurion.
Citadel, Presidium
Reya was fuming, how dare those new comers snub us! THE COUNCIL! she considered it an insult of the highest order. Never in the almost Millenia of the Citadel council had a species ever elected to forego membership.
It had been a month since they had met with the humans, and the Citadel had been thrown into a chaos not seen since the rebellions had ended.
Edern had been hospitalized a week after the meeting, he was not expected to survive, and the Salarians were desperately trying to decide upon a replacement. Many rival clans, and factions had been waiting for this moment for decades.
Reya secretly revelled in the instability that rocked the Union, the Asari Republics had taken this oppurtunity to strengthen ties with the Turians. The Salarians would know that the Asari were not to be challenged.
The followers of Athame had seen a significant growth ever since it was announced of the similarities between the Faith of VIII and the Athame doctrine. Thousands of Asari had been reintroduced to their ancestrial religion almost overnight, and Reya would be lying if she did not admit that she too was one of them.
She found a peace she thought long since lost. She started to attend services regularly...an act she hadn't participated in since the end of the Rachni wars. It wasn't that she necessarily believed in Athame, but the religious devotion of the Humans seemed to make all of the races examine their beliefs.
The Batarians, if rumors were to be believed, were developing plans to withdraw from the Citadel, and become a rogue state. The galaxy was on edge that they would declare war on the Empire, but Reya doubted this. In her time, she had seen the cowardice displayed by the Hegemony. They would rather let pirates, and slavers do their dirty work.
The Hanar had been overjoyed to find similarities in their beliefs, and those of the Imperials. Millions of Hanar had petitioned the Imperial Council to allow them entrance into Imperial space on pilgramage, hanar religious leaders had been holding meetings with the Oracle on Terra.
This did not surprise Reya in the least. Their shared devotion to what they believed the same people would finally give the Hanar someone to express said beliefs to. The Citadel races, had long dismissed them as evangelistic nutcases, but with humanity making similar claims, some were beginning to reconsider this notion.
Nothing had ever upset the status quo of the Citadel quite like the past month had for Reya. She was almost singlehandedly running the entirety of Citadel space, and she hated it. Everyone always had a problem, and it was up to her people to find the solution.
At this moment she wouldn't mind a third councilor, and preferrably one that didn't die every two decades.
Reya could not comprehend it all, the order had been steady for a thousand years, and with the introduction of one species it turned it all on its head.
Pouring herself a glass of wine that had been gifted to her by the human Gaius she savored its flavor. She had to admit, it was delicious. These humans were an anamoly to her, they didn't seem content to be stayed. They wanted to expand, they wanted to learn more, they wanted to explore.
They would never had agreed to any of the Council's regulations. They were like a wild animal, it would take decades, possibly centuries for them to be tamed. The Citadel, as crippled as it was after all the centuries of war, could not afford to do that hastily, they simply had to wait them out.
Citadel space was also ten times bigger than the Imperials own, Reya was confident they would see the benefits of becoming a Citadel member in time, but until then, she had a case of wine to finish, and two hundred more years to live.
Terra, Roma
Naevia arrived in Roma, just in time to see thousands of protesters in the streets. Most calling for Scipio's head. "What is happening?" She asked the man piloting her shuttle.
"You have not heard? Scipio ordered a bombardment on the capitol of Anhur without evacuating a legion of men. He will surely be punished for this." The shuttle pilot said as he sailed across the sky to the Orustus villa.
The idea of Scipio being subjected to the rule of the mob greatly disturbed Naevia, they were never particularly close, but they did grow up together.
Arriving at the Villa, greeted her cousin Cyprian and his family. "It is wonderful to see you again cousin!" She said as she hugged the large man bearded man.
"It always is a pleasure to have you home, Navi!" He said as he lifted her off the ground and spun her in every direction. Cyprian had been years older than both Marius and Naevia, and acted as a big brother to the both of them. Having devoted his life to Ceres, he was often overshadowed by the rest of the Orustus line. Being a simple farmer was not considered appropriate from someone with such an important lineage.
"Aunt Navi, Aunt Navi!" Yelled the young Rufus Orustus as he tugged at her gown.
As Cyprian let her down she picked the young boy up, "What is it child? What is so urgent?" She said looking deep into his crystal blue eyes.
"Have you seen Uncle Marius! His picture is all over the Empire!" The boy yelled as if he were telling all of the Gods.
Confused she looked to Cyprian. "Come see." He said as he turned on the vid screen, and sure enough a picture of her brother unarmored, carrying a legion recruit through the bombarded city was front and center on the screen, next to Flavius.
"The Empire is in a dark days!" yelled flavius to the thousands of people in front of the senate chambers.
"Weak, and cowardice councilors believe that by simply destroying innocent lives, that they can make up for their failings. I tell you now they have angered Mars now more than ever, killing imperial soldiers, and enemies who had already surrended. Shame on the Imperial council! Shame!"
Shouts of 'Terra Firma' rang throughout the city, so much so that Naevia could hear them clearly through the walls of the villa.
"I do not call for the repeal of the council, I call for the execution of Scipio! He has butchered enough of our own people! If the council does not give him to us, than we shall take the traitor by force!"
The crowd erupted again in cheers. Thousands chanted for Scipio's death. "And not just any death, let him die in the arena, by the hand of a true Imperial! Citizens I give you Marius Orustus, descendant of Sartorius!"
The crowd went wild, and Naevia felt that she would be sick as she inspected the picture as it closed in on his face. She hadn't seen her brother in person since the rebellions on Demeter. Gone was the vibrant and charming boy of their youth, here there was only a man who knew suffering and death. She had thought the Sanguine Martem a form of rebllion on his part, she now saw the truth. He had no intention of dying another other way than in battle.
"Marius, is a brave and loyal servant to the Empire, and his devotion to Mars is unmatched. A proud supporter of Terra Firma, he would cheer this day!"
The shouts could be heard clearly in the villa by Naevia now. All over Roma thousands of citizens cheered for the death of a councilor. Naevia didn't know what to think, she hadn't known of her brother's support of Terra Firma, but if it were true, she had to admit she was disappointed.
"Sadly, Marius fell victim to Scipio's sad excuse to military leadership. Gunned down by fellow Imperials, while saving the life of a recruit, Orustus is a hero of the highest regard, in keeping with his lineage! When he is ready, I petition that he fight Scipio in the arena!"
The crowd went mad, everyone cheering at the spectacle. Their hadn't been a high profile gladatorial fight like this since the days of the VIII. Thousands cheered the Orustus name through the streets of Roma.
Naevia left the room in a daze, the Marius she knew would never indulge in the bloodsport of the Arena. Sure he was a fan of the games, but they had long since done away with the actual killing in the arena's it was more a tactical combat simulation now. Although she hadn't actually talked to Marius in years, he informed her of his stations, but that was about as close as they had been since the Demeter rebellion.
She had to speak with her brother soon. She had to save his soul.
Pax Imperium
After the time that the whole of Terra was brought under the rule of the Empire, and lasted until the first contact with Citadel Space. This time in history is remembered as a time of great peace, and minimal expansion by the Empire. Inward concerns were addressed, and conflict rarely broke out. Social institutions and scientific, aswell as humanitarian concerns were the norm of legislation passed by the senate.
This period threatened to end in Civil war with the death of Givos, but was thwarted, and peace maintained throughout imperial space. Farming was the main concern for the most part. The Imperial population started to explode, it was not unnatural for families to have upwards of nine children, and colonies simply did not have the infrastructure to meet demand on such a massive scale.
It was at this time the Imperial Military proved that they not only were fighters of outward threats, but also inward. Many generals and their legions sent thousands of men to tend to the fields, and help the colonial farmers meet demand. It was because of these actions that famine was avoided, and the infrastructure was able to be eased into the colonies.
Pax Imperium is a time that all Imperials look back to fondly, but all understand that preparation for the Messosum must take precedence over blissfully ignorant peace. It is the hope of all Imperial citizens that after the Messosum are defeated, the Empire will return to Pax Imperium.
How are you my beautiful readers? I hope you continue to Enjoy the story, this short story is a lot of fun to write, and it is really more of a set up for the other stories, really just more of an overview of council interactions. Still it is great fun to write the characters. I am still undecided on if I want a story of the Terminus crusade or Morning war/Quarian Sorrow, but I shall decide one day. The Short stories are going to be really gateways to explore the world that I am creating, getting a feel of it, before I jump into the Mass Effect storyline. Anyway as always beautiful readers, your feedback is appreciated, and your love is always welcome...or your hate, I kinda like it rough sometimes if we are being completely honest.