A GHOST IN A STRANGE LAND

CHAPTER 25

ROME

As they neared the capital of the Empire, the Emperor had finally been able to detach from her officers, and had abandoned her perch on the chariot to drift backwards in the column to flit around the group from Chaldea, like they were candles and she was some sort of tiny, blonde moth, possessed of far too much energy.

Likely due to the fact that she had been riding, and not walking as they had made their way from the battlefield. Though it was possible she was just possessed of the same boundless energy that the pink Dragon Girl from the previous Singularity had.

(Some part of Kratos' mind recalled that Liz had made a comment about a rival who she had described as a 'Roman nutcase'. He wondered…)

She was as certainly fond of the sound of her own voice as Liz had been - their march since they had been 'graced' by the presence of the Emperor had been a continual barrage of questions and breathless boasting about the city they were about to behold. At least up until Fujimaru had begun to flag - the girl's still-healing legs reaching their limits. At which time she was invited to share the chariot of the Emperor for the final approach to the city - something the girl eagerly accepted, with Mash and Chiron allowed to jog alongside the chariot as an honor guard for the Emperor's esteemed guest.

'She's hiding something,' Cu's voice in his head was contemplative. 'For all that she was darting around us like a bat out of hell, she was moving very, VERY carefully. And she practically jumped at the chance to get back on her chariot.'

'She took wounds in that battle.'

replied Kratos. 'I saw at least two instances with my own eyes, but she shows no visible signs of them. And her dress shows none of the marks of battle. Dirt, grime, dust, blood - she is completely free of all of them.'

'Might be one of her officers is her Court Mage or something - if anyone would get immediate treatment, it would be the Emperor.' Cu was watching Nero closely, likely only partially because of the glimpses of her body he was getting from her outfit. 'Think it's possible we backed the wrong horse here?'

'I…do not think so. The use of the homunculi soldiers seems to suggest this United Roman Empire is the change we are here to correct.' Though Kratos could not discount that possibly, history had been accelerated, and Nero had gone mad earlier than history had recorded. And the United Roman Empire was merely those who had fled her madness, and were forced to resort to drastic measures to fight their former Emperor.

He sighed. Traveling in time remained more trouble than it was worth. And when he had done so, it had not involved another party actively trying to change history as well.

As they drew closer to the city that had, for a while now, been on the horizon, they began to get their first good look at Rome itself.

It had seen better days.

The city was massive - even at the rapidly closing distance they were at, Kratos could see that it sprawled across an area that would dwarf even the largest of cities from his homeland - yes, even Athens or Sparta.

And yet…

The walls that encircled the city were oddly light on guards - they were there, certainly, but far fewer than Kratos would have expected - and demanded, were he in charge - for a city that had active enemy forces less than a day's march away.

And it was not as if the walls were pristine - they showed signs of damage that looked recent. Clearly it was not the case that Emperor Nero had been surprised by the force that they had battled less than a few hours ago. It was certainly possible that she had led these men out there to deal with the very force that had damaged the walls of her city.

'If you scowl any harder, Kratos, your face might freeze that way,' Cu, in the corner of Kratos' eye, shrugged. 'But I can't blame you too much. I don't like the looks of this, not one bit. And I bet if we could talk with Chiron like this, he'd be nodding his head along with what we're saying.' Cu's hand reached up to cup his chin. 'The inside of the city's going to tell us a lot - and I think we both know what we're expecting to see.'

The column slowed as they drew up to one of the gates that barred entry into the city, and the Emperor, with Fujimaru still in her chariot, raced ahead to shout up to the gatehouse. By the time they had reached the walls, the doors had been unbarred, and the city lay open to them.

Emperor Nero had wheeled her chariot around to face her men, and with a flourish of her arm, gestured to the gates of the city. "My men! I thank you for your service this day! You stood fast and saw off a force greater in number, if inferior in QUALITY! Rest, and celebrate your victory this day!" A cheer went up from the assembled soldiers, with scattered cries echoing down from the walls. She then turned her gaze to the Chaldeans. "And to our new allies, MY guests, behold, the Jewel of the World, ROME!"

The Jewel of the World, noted Kratos, as they entered the city, was quiet. Well, quiet, save for the voice of the Emperor, who was wasting no time in extolling the virtues of her city to the Chaldean visitors.

"And HERE! The finest wines in the Empire were sold at this shop, they graced my table every evening…or they did, until this despicable war came upon us, and we were forced to focus our city's production on other things." Nero gave a disdainful sniff. "But they shall resume production again soon, once we have bested these fakes who dare call themselves Romans!"

As the Emperor began another tangent, Fujimaru drifted back from where she had been walking, just a few steps behind Nero, who had left her chariot to be stabled at the gates as she marched purposefully through Rome. "The city…it's so empty." Her eyes were darting around, taking in the few people that they passed on the streets.

"This is war, Fujimaru," said Kratos, his voice low. "I suspect, as does Caster," he met Chiron's eyes, who nodded, while making noises of agreement to Nero's current boast. "And as does Archer, that the United Roman Empire possesses the advantage of numbers in this conflict."

"Which means that the winemakers the Emperor was just praising were likely conscripted into the front lines to make up some of that difference," Chiron frowned. "Which, given your discovery of the manner of the forces facing Rome, will only be a temporary solution. The empty streets…the people who once lived here are likely now serving on whatever fronts make up this war. If they are not already dead."

"And if they haven't left for the other side," said Cu, with a whisper. "It's kind of inevitable in a conflict, you're always going to have some people who think their side is a sinking ship and will bail out at the first sign of adversity, or when they think their side is doomed to lose. I saw it in my time, and I'd bet the other two soldiers in our group saw it in theirs."

Kratos grunted. Even in the conflict with Persia, in Sparta of all places, there had been some few who had begun to speak, quietly, of the virtues of bending the knee and becoming Persian Empire's strong mailed fist in Greece, and the rewards that would bring - such as seeing Athens finally humbled by Spartan might, backed by the countless legions of Persia.

Defeatists. They had changed their tune when the tale of Leonidas' final stand at Thermopylae had returned to the city. And those few who had still argued submission had been dealt with as the traitors they were.

Kratos growled, low in his throat. He felt hemmed in by this far too empty city, and he knew why. Statues of familiar figures loomed from buildings and temples as they passed them by - that he could not read the writing on the plaques did not stop him from recognizing the gods of his land, even different as they were in this world. Zeus, Athena, Ares, Poseidon, and others. They surrounded him, their stone eyes seemed to follow him, judging him as he walked the streets of this city.

'More and more I think it's a good thing I won our little game and got to accompany you here, Kratos, because Avenger would not take well to being on the receiving end of what you're putting out. It'd probably make her even more irritable. Medusa could probably handle it, but she doesn't exactly have a good opinion of these gods much either, the two of you would probably end up feeding off each other.' Cu slapped Kratos on the back, while pretending to point out something in the city. 'Can't blame you, though. I doubt I'd be doing so well if I was wandering through a city that was dedicated to worshiping Medb. Hell, I'd probably have turned tail and run the other way before I got five steps in, just in case the genuine article was waiting on me somewhere inside.' The Irishman shuddered.

Kratos took a deep breath, feeling some of his ire dissipate. He nodded along to whatever Cu had been saying aloud, and sent a feeling of thanks across their link.

They had made their way into the heart of the city by this time, and had steadily been ascending the hill that the city had been built on.

"And HERE, my honored guests, is the grand palace where I rule fair Rome from!" If Rome had been lacking in splendor, the palace at least matched the images Da Vinci had shown him of Rome at its height.

And yet, again, there were subtle signs of, not squalor, but that the palace had once been grander. The fence that surrounded the palace was wrought iron, but here and there were signs that it had once been gilded with some other metal - likely gold, going by the few spots that still remained. And there were holes in the gate itself where it appeared that gems, likely rare and precious ones, had once been fitted, but had since been removed.

Nero turned, and marched up to them. "My allies, I INSIST you be my guests this night in my palace! All the wonders of Rome shall be at your fingertips, and I shall feast you in thanks for your aid this day." A shrewd look came onto her face. "And then, later, we could discuss the circumstances by which you have come to my Empire, and if a possible alliance would serve us both."

Kratos looked around at his group, receiving nods from each. "That is acceptable."

Nero beamed. "UMU! Wonderful, my guests! Follow me, and prepare to be dazzled!"

The inside, at least, had not seen any obvious degradation in quality. It was luxurious, and decadent.

Kratos hated it on sight.

"Goodness, this is all a bit…much, isn't it?" said Fujimaru, head darting around, trying to take in as much of the sights as she could. "Even for a big-city girl like me from Tokyo, this is really something."

"Toh-kee-yoh?" Nero carefully sounded out the unfamiliar word. "This is where you are from? Given your hair, I had thought you were possibly from Britannia - hair that color is much more common for those from that northern land."

For a brief second, a shade of something seemed to darken the Emperor's face, then it was gone.

"Nope. It's far to the east - like, really, REALLY far. The other side of the world, far." Fujimaru laughed. "Does have it in common that they're both islands, though. But that's about it. At least we figured out how to use spices in our food, unlike them."

"Umu! It sounds fascinating, and exotic!" The Emperor seized Fujimaru by the arm. "You MUST sit next to me at the feast this evening and tell me tales of your homeland!"

"Sure, I can do…..and she's gone." As quickly as Nero had pounced upon Fujimaru, she had detached, and was greeting the servants who had, apparently, been awaiting her arrival. After a round of orders, the Emperor marched back to them.

"These shall see you to your rooms, where you may refresh yourself before the evening's feast! As my guests, the whole of the halls of my glorious palace are yours to explore! I do SO recommend the baths, I designed them myself! Perfect for washing the exhaustion of a day away!" She crossed the room, heading for a grand staircase that led to the upper levels. "Unfortunately, I must part with you for the time being, there are affairs of state that…"

The Emperor stumbled. She covered it well, making it look like a mere trip, but Kratos saw. Her legs had nearly given out on her. She was, however, close enough to Kratos to make it look like she had merely caught herself on his arm, preventing a simple fall.

"Kratos! It occurs to me, as the leader of your group, we should speak preliminarily before any serious discussions occur! Please, would you accompany me to my solar, where we could speak further?"

Nero's head turned to look up at him, while her expression remained the same as it had been, her eyes were wild, and desperate. "Play along…..please, I beg of you," she whispered, so soft that, even as close as she was, Kratos barely heard her.

Kratos gave a grunt that Nero clearly took as one of assent (it was, for the record), and clung tighter to his arm. "Wonderful! Then let us be off!"

With her back to the veritable army of servants that had descended upon the rest of the Chaldeans, Nero began to lead Kratos up the stairs, leaning heavily on his arm - though at a glance, it would appear as nothing more than the Emperor being somewhat…touchy with one of her guests. Something that, from the knowing smiles on the faces of the staff, was apparently nothing unusual.

Kratos could see, however, close as he was to her. The tendons on her neck were standing out - she was gritting her teeth with every step she took up the stairs. He was practically carrying her, so much of her weight - minor as it was - was being borne by him.

'Any other time I'd tell you not to stick it in crazy, but I think we both know you're not about to do any such thing, just like she isn't clinging to you for any other reason than to try to stay on her feet.' As he'd suspected, Cu had noticed the Emperor's near collapse. 'Bellow if you need help or anything, I'll try to stick close to the lass and her crew. Though I'd bet Chiron's filling her in right now.'

Nero continued regaling Kratos with the storied history of the various works of art - some created by her, she boasted - as they ascended the stairs, her breath coming in quicker and quicker gasps - though she did not let it show in her voice or her ceaseless narration. By the time they reached the top of the stairs, and were finally out of the sight of the servants on the ground floor, he was practically dragging her, her feet slapping weakly against the ground.

"Left, yes, please," she bit out. "My quarters are there, help me there, if you would."

With barely any effort, he lifted her from the ground and quickly crossed the distance to the door she had indicated.

"So strong," she muttered, a sigh of relief escaping her lips once she no longer had to support her own weight. "Rest is all I need - but I will make you a Viceroy for your service to the Emperor, and Rome itself, for the Emperor is Rome." Kratos shouldered the doors open, entering a lavish chamber obviously meant for entertaining guests - plush seats surrounded finely crafted tables, upon which rested vases filled with fresh flowers - red ones that were unfamiliar to Kratos, but put him in the mind of the hellebores of Greece.

"You may set me down, Master Kratos. Your service, no, your courtesy and your aid will be rewarded." Carefully, he placed her back on her feet. "My bed is just through those doors, I will be able to make it on my own from here. I will rest for a few hours, then we shall speak again at this evenings…"

Nero made it two steps before she collapsed to the ground. Her arms flailed as she tried, and failed to catch her fall, and something flew from her hands, clinking against the ground.

Nero's form shimmered, and like a curtain being pulled away, her image changed.

Her once pristine red dress was now torn and shredded, blood and dirt staining it, in parts, almost black. One sleeve had been torn completely away, leaving her arm bare - upon which Kratos could see an ugly bruise, yellowed with age, in the shape of a massive hand.

And that was not the only wound the Emperor bore. Caked blood covered her back - the slash he had seen her take in the earlier battle. One of her legs was splinted and bandaged, and the bandages themselves were giving off the sickly-sweet odor of pus. A ragged hank of hair had been torn from her head, leaving a bloody patch of bald skin atop her skull. Numerous other cuts and scratches covered her form - all minor in comparison to the more serious injuries she sported.

And around her neck was again the imprint of a massive hand, a twin to the one that had grasped her arm.

Nero did not try to rise, she merely curled up into a ball, her breaths coming shallowly and unevenly. Whispered gasps of 'no' escaped her lips.

'CASTER!' Kratos' voice rang in his mind, as he seized Cu's thread with almost indecent haste. 'Come to where I am, and bring Chiron and Fujimaru, NOW!'

Carefully, Kratos knelt by the woman's side and lifted her, gently bearing her to one of the couches that rested against the walls of the room. Nero's head lolled up at him - staring at him through a single green eye - her other eye had been swollen shut by a black eye that had swelled so badly that she was unable to open it. "And now you know….the pitiable state of the Emperor."

"Do not speak," said Kratos, laying her down on the couch - oddly glad of the opulence of the room. The softness of the couch would at least provide her some comfort, he hoped. "Aid is coming."

"No, no, no…" she protested weakly. "They cannot, MUST not see! Morale holds on by a thread. If they see their Emperor in this state, it will crumble…my Rome will crumble."

Nero's protests were cut off as Cu barged in through the doors. "Came as quick as I could and they're right behind me, and…holeeeeee shit!" Cu drew up to Kratos' side as he looked down on a barely-conscious Nero. "What the hell happened in the handful of minutes you were out of our sight?"

Kratos had no time to reply, as Chiron and a gasping Fujimaru dashed into the room. "Too….many….stairs…..what's going…" The girl's eyes widened as she took in the state of the Emperor. Lines flared up and down her clothes, and she dashed to the couch. She knelt down, and placed a hand on Nero's forehead. "First Aid," she intoned, green mana flowing out from her uniform and over the woman's body.

Nero gave a soft sigh as her wounds began to slowly mend. Fujimaru frowned down as she watched the spell work. "That'll do for some of that, but I don't think that spell had nearly enough juice for a full patch job - not as many injuries as she's sporting."

Chiron was nodding. "You are correct, my Master. Which means we will have to do this in the manner of Asclepius." He drew a small first aid kit out of one of his pouches. "Can I ask you to assist me, Master - I assume your strong stomach will carry over to medical procedures?"

"Never put it to the test, but I'm game," Fujimaru was already slipping out of her uniform jacket, leaving her in the thin shirt she had worn to the briefing this morning, and moving to switch her ponytail from the side to the back. "Just tell me what to do, Sensei."

"Please," whispered Nero. "My people MUST not know of this."

"I'll get the door," said Cu. "Won't be much help with any of this, so I can go stand outside and look intimidating. I'd say Kratos should come with, since he lives and breathes big and scary, but it would ruin the fiction that the Emperor is having a 'discussion' with our leader - intimate or otherwise." He clapped Kratos on the shoulder. "Sorry buddy - I know you probably don't want people thinking that about you, but if we're going to honor the Emperor's wishes, we'll probably have to let that rumor float about."

Kratos growled, low in his throat, but nodded. "I have made greater sacrifices for worse causes. Go."

Chiron sighed, looking over the contents of the kit. "We may as well get Mash up here - she had access to most of our supplies, after all, and this kit was never meant to be much more than an emergency stopgap in the event myself and others were separated from the group."

"We can probably make a leyline connection as well," said Cu, who was shoving the doors closed. "Felt like there was a decent one running beneath the city - most big cities this far back in history were built on top of them, either at the direction of the gods, or the local wisemen, whatever name they went by - druids, mages, medicine men, yada yada." The doors creaked closed, and his voice was cut off.

Fujimaru closed her eyes, then, a second later, nodded. "She's on her way. I'm getting Roman on the line."

The next few minutes were a flurry of activity as Chiron and Fujimaru tended to the Emperor, with Romani observing and making observations and suggestions as the only true medical professional in the room - while Chiron's experience probably dwarfed his, Roman was much more familiar with the modern items and procedures that Chaldea used. Mash arrived a few minutes into the procedure, and quickly pulled a full first aid kit from her shield, which Chiron gladly took.

"Mash," rumbled Kratos, as the girl stepped back from the couch where Chiron was tending to Nero. "Caster suggested there was a leyline beneath this city. Do you believe you can connect to it?"

"I can try, Mr. Kratos." She summoned her shield, and laid it upon the floor of Nero's quarters. Lines of power flickered up and down her shield, and a circle burst into being around it. The energy pulsed once, and then was gone, the circle fading a moment later.

"Leyline secured - now we should be able to resupply from Chaldea, or switch people in and out." Mash picked up her shield, then dismissed it. "Honestly, after France, that's a bit of a relief."

"Agreed," said Da Vinci, who was anxiously watching the collective effort on her monitors, not even looking at Mash or Kratos. "You're at least in a proper city this time around, so you shouldn't have to worry about food for the time being - but if this turns into a proper war against this United Roman Empire, depending on the supply lines, it might become an issue. And being able to swap Servants based on the situations we face is a nice thing to have in our back pockets."

Kratos knelt and picked up the object that had fallen from Nero's hands. It was little more than a bauble, a decorated sphere that sparkled as it caught the light, perhaps a toy for a child. But he could feel magic from it - not strong magic, but magic nonetheless.

"Da Vinci," he held the item up so her projection could see it. "This seems to be the object that allowed the Emperor to hide her wounds. What can you make of it?"

"Let me see," Da Vinci pursed her lips, and leaned forward in her seat. "Hmmmm. A surprisingly dense array of spells in such a simple looking trinket. Definitely some illusion magic there - but that's about all I can tell over a connection like this. I'd need to get my hands on it to really tell more - and since it's not exactly your property, that's off the table if we want to stay on the Emperor's good side."

"Then we shall get answers when the Emperor is fit to speak," Kratos set the item on the table, and settled back to wait. Chiron at least seemed calm as he tended to the Emperor. That was a good sign, in Kratos' experience. Physicians tended to panic when they were close to losing a patient, particularly one as important as an Emperor - though from the time he had spent with Chiron, the man seemed almost Spartan in his inability to be shaken.

Very unlike two other Servants Kratos could name.

It was maybe 15 minutes later that a somewhat bloodied Chiron left the Emperor's side and walked up to Kratos, Mash, and Da Vinci. "She's resting for now. I gave her something for the pain - I can't imagine the agony she was in trying to walk on that leg."

"What's the verdict, Doc?" asked Da Vinci. "I could always bother Roman, since he was working directly with you, but better I get it straight from the attending physician."

Chiron shook his head. "She is, quite frankly, a mess. I managed to disinfect and bandage most of her battle wounds - infection should not be an issue, at least." He smiled. "That time I spent learning of modern medicine was certainly beneficial - thank you for indulging me, Doctor Romani."

"No, thank YOU, Archer," Romani scratched at the back of his head. "You don't know the world of good it does me to know there's someone going along with Mash, Fujimaru, and Kratos who at least knows enough medicine to keep them alive if the worst happens." He shrugged. "Though, if we get to the point that Kratos needs medical attention, we're already in a world of trouble."

"True - as you have mentioned, he has his own tricks for healing, beyond his fearsome constitution." Chiron glanced over his shoulder at Nero. "Fujimaru's spell seems like it did the majority of its work patching her broken leg - and wisely, it would seem. It looks to have been set improperly, without that spell, we possibly would have had to break it and reset it, and that would not have been a quiet process."

"Yeah, hearing the Emperor of Rome screaming would have brought every soldier in the city down on us," said Fujimaru, from where she was cleaning her hands off in a basin.

"Otherwise, I have done all I can. The rest of her wounds, the bruises, the hair torn from her scalp, and the black eye, the bruised ribs, as well as everything else all merely require time to heal. Once Fujimaru's Mystic Code recharges itself," he glanced at Da Vinci, who mouthed '12 hours'. "We will see about giving her another treatment of that."

"Is it safe if I go clean myself off, Sensei?" asked Fujimaru. "Between the homunculus bits still sticking to me and now this, those baths are sounding mighty nice."

Chiron nodded. "It should be fine, my Master."

"Good," Fujimaru linked her arm with Mash, and began pulling the girl along with her. "C'mon, Mashie, I need someone to protect my virtue down there, and, well, I hate to say it, but you're getting a little ripe yourself. Let's go get ourselves clean."

Mash stammered something as she was dragged off, and those still in the room could hear Cu mutter something to the two girls as they departed.

After a moment, Kratos asked the question that was at the forefront of his mind. "Can she speak?"

Chiron opened his mouth to reply, but it was not his voice that spoke. "She can."

Chiron span around, a look of exasperation on his face. "I quite clearly told you to rest, your Majesty."

"And while you are a peerless physician, Sir Archer, I am afraid it is the Emperor's prerogative to ignore your orders. There is a banquet to be held in honor of my return, and you, my guests, this evening, and the lack of the Emperor's presence would send ripples of unease throughout the city."

She made as if to sit up, but Chiron was there, hands on her shoulders, pushing her down. "You should not even be able to walk on that leg - it may hold your weight better now, but it must be agony to use it for any length of time. Truly, I do not know how you bore it before my student healed what she could of it with her spell."

Nero glared up at the Servant, though she ceased trying to rise. "Simon taught me a simple spell to dull pain - it was for my migraines, but I have discovered it works just as well for injuries taken in battle."

Chiron sighed. "If you are truly set upon this, I beg of you to gain what rest you can. We have a capable smith who can create something that will brace your leg and allow you to move about with much less pain." He glanced over to Da Vinci's projection, and she nodded, and the image winked out. "She will work quickly, and have it ready before you must make your appearance, so I beg you, please, rest."

Nero sagged back into the couch. "Very well, physician. You have an hour - no more. After that time, I will be at the feast if I must go through you, then drag myself to it after we fight." She turned to look at the rest of the room. "You have questions, I believe?"

She peered at the projection of Romani. "And who is this blue man, and by what sorcerous means has he joined us?"

Romani gave a formal bow, his movements oddly smooth and practiced. "Your Majesty, Emperor Nero Claudius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, I am Doctor Romani Archaman, the acting head of Chaldea - the organization to which these people belong. We have a magic that allows us to speak from across great distances, that is how you are seeing me here."

"May I ask your purpose in my Empire?" She raised a finger to her lips. "Warriors as mighty as these, and not just warriors, but a physician and mages as well - you are no mere band of travelers. I feel you are here for a reason."

"We are tracking an enemy of ours…a traitor," Romani's face twisted in a scowl. "A man named Lev Lainur - committed treachery that did us considerable harm and took the lives of many of our friends and allies, before fleeing." Romani licked his lips. "We have been tracking him for a considerable distance and a great amount of time, and the trail has led us to here."

"It is possible his hand lies behind this United Roman Empire," said Kratos. "He has already attempted to destroy another kingdom as we tracked him, though he had fled long before we came upon the ruin he had left."

Nero stared at them for a long moment, thinking. "I cannot recall any mention of this man, though it does not mean he is not involved in some way." She fidgeted. "The United Roman Empire…they rose from nothing months ago, and have stolen a full half of my Empire from me in that time. Their leaders claim to be Emperors such as myself."

"Serv…." Romani cut himself off. "When you say other Emperors, your Majesty, you mean…"

"Names from the past. I had thought it just talk, imposters using the names of our legendary founders to gain legitimacy…" Her voice got quiet. "Until my uncle returned from the dead."

"Emperor Caligula," Chiron looked down at Nero. "Did he do this to you?"

"I was overjoyed to see him, my dear uncle. I ignored that his men were flying the banners of the United Roman Empire and threw open the gates of the city. I hoped that we could possibly reach some resolution that would stop the bloodshed, so I paraded him into my palace, welcomed him with open arms…then he seized me by the throat and howled my name."

Nero curled up into a ball on the couch, turning so she was facing away from them. "He was so strong…impossibly, inhumanly strong. Far stronger than my uncle ever was…and less sane. I tried to break free, but it was akin to Sisyphus pushing the boulder - a fruitless endeavor. If it was not for Simon, I would be dead."

"Simon Magus, Nero's mentor and Court Mage," said Romani. "By all accounts, very, very powerful. For him to be able to drive off a Servant, he would have to be, but the Mystics were much more powerful now, this close to the end of the Age of Gods."

"I see the stories of his, and therefore my, exploits have reached even the far lands from whence you hail," Kratos could hear the fond smile in Nero's voice as she spoke of her mentor. "True, he was able to free me from my mad uncle's grasp - if indeed that was my uncle and not some demon using his face. But all it did was transfer his ire to him, from me."

"Simon fought him hard, using every trick he had, and at the last, was able to hurt that thing, my uncle or no, enough that he was forced to withdraw. But Simon passed from his wounds soon after. Had we a physician of your skill, Archer, maybe…" Nero's voice grew thick. "But we did not, and I was forced to leave him lying there to pursue that thing wearing my uncle's face to make sure it died for the crime of laying hands upon the Emperor."

She coughed. "Could I please beg some water? There should be some on the table - I would ask for wine, but I fear the physician would protest."

Kratos helped the woman sit up, while Chiron poured water into a cup and held it up to her lips. She muttered about not being an invalid, but still drank deeply, all the same.

"My thanks," she said, settling back into the couch cushions. "To resume my tale, that was three days ago. I had been hunting that thing ever since. Or, that had been my plan, until I discovered he was leading an expeditionary force, one much larger than the troops I was able to muster to pursue him. Then it became three days of measured withdrawals, hit and run attacks, and desperate fighting. My presence on the frontlines was all that kept my men putting one foot in front of the other."

"Could you not have fallen back to your city, gathered more men?" asked Chiron - though his expression said he already knew the answer to that.

"The Legions of Rome are far from the capital, engaging the United Roman Empire on many fronts. We have only a single Legion here to protect the capital - the lines of battle were far enough away that we…that I never expected to confront enemies so close to Rome itself." Nero rested her head on her knees. "Clearly, I was wrong."

"Where was your uncle in this?" rumbled Kratos.

"I do not know," Nero's words became short, clipped, frustrated. "I have not seen him since he was driven from the city by Simon. In all the battles in the fields surrounding Rome, not once did he show himself." Her fists clenched. "He lives still, I know this. And once I am able, I will resume my chase of him. It does not matter if he is or is not the spirit of my uncle - Rome cannot tolerate these false 'Emperors' running around, fracturing my Empire. Not if it is to remain whole."

Romani and Chiron exchanged a look, then they turned to Kratos, who shrugged. He did not see the harm in it - better she know what enemies she faced.

"Emperor Nero, as we already know some of your secrets, we are going to trust you with some of ours. It is entirely possible that that IS your uncle Caligula, returned from the dead through Magecraft. He would be what is called a Servant, a legendary figure of human history." Romani scratched at the back of his head. "We have a bit of familiarity with them, and it would explain the power and strength he displayed - you yourself said it was much greater than what he had in life."

"By what spell, no…," she stopped herself. "This 'Lev' you pursue. This would be his doing, wouldn't it?"

Romani nodded. "We believe so. He used similar means in the last land he tried to destroy, though he did not take an active hand in events beyond setting them in motion, at least not at first. Once we survived his treachery, he returned to there to put a plan in motion for some end - beyond simply trying to stop us."

"And you feel he is, or was, here, in my Empire, as well," Nero's lips thinned. "It would seem then that we have a common cause, travelers from the land of Chaldea." Her eyes trailed to Chiron and Kratos. "Particularly if you possess the means to fight these 'Servants'."

"We do, your majesty," said Chiron. "It could be said that Chaldea specializes in combating Servants."

"Would that be because you yourself are one, Archer?" She laughed as Romani sputtered something incoherent. "I am no Mage myself, but Simon has taught me some things. Yourself, and Caster both felt odd to me. The girl with the shield as well. I imagine, had I not been so overjoyed to see my uncle again, then…terrified, as I dangled from his hand, he would have felt the same to me." She paused, thinking. "And…it would explain some other oddities."

"You would be correct, your Majesty. Caster and myself are Servants, contracted to Chaldea to assist in their endeavors in tracking down and stopping Lev Lainur - and the unknown organization he belongs to. Miss Kyrielight is also a Servant, but her circumstances are special, and not relevant to our immediate situation." There was a small smile on Chiron's face - likely the result of getting to step into the role of a teacher, however briefly. "It is also why we hide our names. To use an example you would be familiar with, a Servant who went around claiming to be Achilles would also be broadcasting his greatest vulnerability to all who could hear."

"I see," said the Emperor. She thought for a moment, then spoke. "And Kratos and the girl who helped tend to my wounds? The girl is obviously no Servant - she is a Mage like my Simon was, yes?" Chiron nodded. "That leaves Kratos as the only unknown here - for he feels nothing like yourself or Caster, or, truly, anything I have ever laid eyes on before."

"Unfortunately, that, like Miss Kyrielight's situation, is a special case that must remain a secret for the time being. Suffice it to say that Kratos is a trusted ally who, like the Servants in Chaldea's employ, has offered his aid in resolving this crisis." Chiron bowed his head. "I do apologize if this causes you any offense."

Nero waved his apology off. "As with your strange names, I would be a poor Emperor to hold such against those who have done me two services now. Keep your secrets. Umu, if you had wished me harm, you could have just left my army to the battle you found us in, or allowed me to lie on the floor where I fell not moments ago."

She gestured, and Chiron lifted the cup to her lips, and she drank greedily, then lowered her head to the pillows. "It seems to me that we share a common enemy, travelers from Chaldea. Whether your Lev Lainur is here or not, you seem convinced the troubles that plague my Rome are due to his mischief." She looked up at them, a desperate hope kindling in her eyes. "Could I prevail on you to assist my Empire in its hour of need?"

"That's why we're here, your Emperorness." Da Vinci's projection winked into life. "I've got the braces ready - it was a quick thing, just had to modify the ones we'd been using for Fujimaru. Once Mash gets back, I can send them right over. They'll be rather obvious, I'm afraid, but I assume whatever means you were using to hide your injuries will see to that."

"Yes. Simon created an object that would allow me to quickly change my look - it was meant for my appearances on stage, but it has served me well in this role." Nero was giving Da Vinci an appraising look. "May I have the name of the vision of loveliness that has done me this boon?"

Da Vinci's laugh was bright and cheerful. She bent in a curtsey. "Leonardo Da Vinci, and yes, I am also a Servant. There's a few of us still at Chaldea besides the ones you've met - if this campaign drags on, you might get the pleasure of their acquaintance." She frowned. "Sadly, for reasons, I can't leave Chaldea, so you'll just have to make do with basking in my radiance though our communicators."

Nero huffed out a breath. "A shame. But putting aside pleasure for affairs of state…and war, do we have an alliance, my guests from the lands of Chaldea?"

"Yes," said Kratos. "Even if Lev is not the one behind the United Roman Empire, they must be defeated to foil his greater plans."

Nero gave a sigh of relief, and tension seemed to leave her body, as she almost melted into the couch. "Finally, after so long, some good news."

NERO'S SOLAR

LATER THAT EVENING

The feast had concluded without incident, though to call it a feast would have been generous.

Oh, Nero had obviously brought out the finest fare from her stores for both her new allies and her generals and the senators she had invited to celebrate her army's victory, but the food had been plainer than Kratos had been expecting for Rome - which had become, as Da Vinci had mentioned, something of a byword for decadence in modern times. And while the courses served had been richer than Spartan staples, they were still simpler dishes than one would have expected to grace the table of an Emperor.

Kratos himself had almost skipped the entire affair, only convinced to attend by the nature of being the leader of Chaldea's forces - his attendance therefore being necessary for the image it would project.

Politics, and 'face', a concept that both Fujimaru and Tanya had explained to Kratos over a meal in Chaldea's cafeteria. Neither were things that Kratos had much use for.

Fortunately, he had largely been left to eat his meal in peace. He had been seated at Nero's left side, a place of honor, but she had largely been distracted the entire meal with Fujimaru, barraging the girl with questions about her homeland. What breath she didn't spend on Fujimaru had been spent bandying words with Cu, who had enjoyed himself greatly - and had caused Mash to flush red with some of the comments he had made to the Emperor, then flush even redder as Nero responded in kind.

The rest of the Romans had not been as well-disposed to the Emperor's guests. The senators, councilors, and others of their ilk had struck Kratos as sharing the worst of traits with the Athenian elite - self-importance and entitlement, all from men who had never had to fight for anything in their lives. Fortunately for all involved, Chiron had been a buffer between the rest of the Chaldeans (and Kratos specifically) and these men. Nero's officers - particularly those who had been with her in the field were more favorably disposed to the Chladeans, having seen them fend off a force much larger than themselves with their own eyes. Something that had helped tilt the battle in the favor of the Roman forces.

Kratos had even managed a few words with one man, Aelius, who seemed as ill at ease with the feast as Kratos himself.

Thankfully for his temper, the feast had been briefer than he had feared it would be, as the Emperor had left the table, citing a need to confer with her new allies over the state of the war, and he had been released from his obligation to remain.

Now, they were back in Nero's chambers, clustered around a series of maps that had been gathered while they had been eating. Nero herself was back on the couch on the orders of Chiron, a certain white-furred creature, who had apparently stowed away again, curled up on her lap and currently being scratched behind the ears.

"Truly, your land of Chaldea must be a place of wonders," said Nero, as Fou barked his approval of the attention he was being paid. "This animal, Fou, you said, I have never seen his like."

"Fou is…Fou," said Mash, with a shrug. "Even we don't know exactly where he came from. He has just always been around." Her face turned downwards, into a frown. "Even when we tell him it isn't safe to sneak into my shield and come along, he does."

"Would that that was the greatest concern we had, but alas, it is not." Nero sat up a bit straighter. "These maps show the current state of our war, as last reported to me. What do you see?"

Kratos needed barely a glance to see the state of affairs for what it was. "You are cut off."

"Umu…..you cut right to the heart of the matter, Kratos," Nero's hands ceased their motion, and merely rested on Fou's head. "Originally, we held a line in Gaul, but we have been pushed back. First to Mediolanum, then to Florentia itself, where fighting is bitter, but at a standstill. This would not be such a dire situation, if not for…" She trailed off.

"The fact that your enemies control the seas," said Chrion. He placed a finger on the various outlying islands. "Your enemies have established bases on the islands around Rome and are sinking any ships attempting to enter or leave the Empire - denying you any fresh supplies or troops."

"Correct. And while some of our provinces still stand and resist this United Roman Empire, they too are cut off from orders from Rome itself. We still have land enough to feed the capital, but if fighting presses any closer…" She sighed. "Tonight's feast will likely be the last one for many months, even if we manage to throw our enemies back."

"And that still leaves your crazy uncle's force wandering around behind the lines, doing as it pleases," said Cu, who was using a splinter of his staff to pick at his teeth. "That's got to be our most immediate concern. They didn't look like they had enough men to besiege this city, but they could absolutely cause a problem if we tried to break the stalemate up north and took us in the back."

"Their existence in the field also threatens the capital," said Kratos. "While Caster is correct that they cannot besiege the city, a well-timed attack could breach the gates."

"And that CANNOT happen," said Nero, her voice brooking no disagreement. "It…pains me to say this, but many of our cities have gone over to the United Roman Empire willingly. For some, it was the only choice, as they lacked the means to resist. They chose to surrender and spare their homes from being sacked. But others, ones that possessed entire Legions, strong walls, and what I believed were loyal consuls bent the knee readily."

"You need a win," said Cu, leaning back in his chair, his feet resting on the table. "Hell, you need several wins all in a damn row. You get on a roll, and it'll show your people here that you're still strong, and would silence any voices that are whispering that maybe it's time for new leadership. Might even bring some of your wayward sheep back into the fold. Back home, I'd do that by going out and winning a string of challenges against the champions in the armies - it's what I did when Medb did her little spell that put all our soldiers down. But that was more about buying time than boosting morale."

"And I don't think these Homunculi they're using against us have enough personality to really have champions," Fujimaru frowned. "It would fit what you told me about the things Lev said - someone with as much contempt for humans as he was showing wouldn't want to dirty his hands by using filthy apes like us to do his dirty work. And grown right - or wrong in this case, Homunculi don't have any free will or individuality to get in the way when you tell them to slaughter babies."

Fujimaru cracked her knuckles. "Mashie, when we find Lev, you're going to hold him still for me while I punch him a few times. And I'm giving him one for Gordy while I'm at it. He'd hate this almost as much as I do." She grinned savagely. "Maybe THAT one will be a knee right in the family jewels."

As Mash nodded, Romani spoke. "It seems like our obvious first step is to clear Caligula's army from the fields around Rome. Based on what Emperor Nero has told us, he's likely a Berserker - the apparent inability to speak anything but her name suggests it. And while there's some instances of Berserkers retaining enough rationality to communicate, the reverse, where one of the Knight or Cavalry classes has high enough Madness Enhancement, they don't lose their reason completely. And certainly not to the point where they can't form sentences."

He shrugged. "But that's a tangent for another time. Unless there's any disagreements, that's our next move."

A round of shaken heads. "And as obvious as our first move is, that brings up the question of what follows that," said Chiron. "We have several options - as there is no lack of areas that require immediate attention."

"Before all…this, with my uncle, I had been planning to lead what men I could spare to Florentia," said Nero. "Breaking the stalemate there seemed most pressing with what forces I could spare. The situation at sea, while not ideal, was not as imminent a threat."

"We handle your uncle, and that could change in a heartbeat," Cu dragged his feet back to the floor, and leaned over the map. "My only real experience with the sea was pulling myself out of it after my teacher punted me into it for talking back to her, but if they start using those boats to unload soldiers on your shores, instead of just locking you down, and that's an issue. They'll bypass the battle lines, and suddenly we're right back to the same problem we had with your uncle's army, only bigger."

Kratos grunted. "We will have to split our forces."

"Two-front wars rarely work out," sighed Fujimaru. "Unless you're the Americans and don't have to worry about fighting on your shores."

"But it would allow us more flexibility. And on the seas, in ship to ship combat, the advantage of a Servant, or Kratos, would be that much greater than against an army on an open field." Chiron considered. "The only question would be who goes where?"

"I can't believe I'm about to suggest this, but if you send me back and bring in Rider, her mount would give you a HUGE advantage there," Cu shook his head. "Imagine, me offering to bow out of what looks like it will be something of a proper war, but the girl would give you air superiority on the high seas, and that's just with her riding it. If she dropped Kratos onto a ship, she could go bombard another part of the battlefield and then pick him up after the ship she dropped him on is a burning ruin."

"The only risk would be is if they have some means of communication with their capital, or one of the ships is carrying a Servant," Da Vinci turned to Nero, who was beginning to open her mouth in a question. "Rider's mount is VERY distinctive - if you see it, Emperor Nero, you'll know immediately who she is, and I expect that would be the same for any of your enemies, even if they don't have a Servant with them. We don't know how much Lev knows about our previous fight against him, so we're trying to keep our cards as hidden as possible."

Mash tilted her head. "Would that mean Senpai, Archer, and myself would accompany Emperor Nero?"

"Yes," said Romani, with a frown. "I'm not crazy about this, but it really does seem like the fastest way to deal with as many problems at once."

"Splitting the party is the quickest way for things to go wrong, and really fast too, but…" Fujimaru shrugged. "It was going to happen sooner or later. I mean, no way the rest of these Singularities are nice enough to let us stay in a group the whole time, and drip-feed our enemies to us one at a time. At least this way, overall command stays with Nero, and I've got my Kohai to keep me safe, and my Sensei to keep me from screwing up too much. I'm about as insulated as I can be. The other way, no." She shook her head. "I'm way too inexperienced to lead something like a sea campaign, even if my dad is an old salty dog."

She gave a sheepish smile. "No, this way I get to watch and learn at an Emperor's side. Field experience with training wheels, or something like that." She flushed. "If, of course, you'll have me, your majesty."

"Umu, I would be a fool to turn away such help," Nero's finger began tapping on her nose. "Foreign auxiliaries are nothing new to the Legions, be they Britannian, Germanican, Gallic, or Aegyptian. A Chaldean one will just be one of many in our rolls - though with the power and skill you demonstrate, I expect you will see your fair share of honors by the end of this war."

She pushed herself up to sit as straight as possible. "But while I will be willing to allow you a fair amount of freedom, as befitting your unique skills, you WILL be under my command. Is this something you can swear to, people of Chaldea?"

There was a long silence as the various Chadleans exchanged looks amongst each other. Finally, Kratos spoke. "So long as your orders are just. But our campaign here has objectives of our own, ones we must meet. We will pursue these should an opportunity present itself."

"I suppose that is acceptable," said Nero. "And I know I have little to no means to force you to do anything - I have seen first hand how powerless I am in front of a Servant. So I will strive to keep my orders just - or I would, if I was capable of giving an unjust order." She extended her hand, which Kratos took, grasping her wrist.

"I welcome you to the forces of Rome, the I Chaldean Auxiliary Force."

KRATOS' CHAMBERS

The meeting with Nero had not lasted much longer after that. The Emperor had begun yawning, and Chiron had insisted she sleep - along with the rest of them, as they planned to set out the next day to track down, and eliminate Caligula and his force.

Kratos had retired to the rooms that had been set aside for his use, and it was only as he had begun to pull back the sheets of the (far too opulent, in his opinion - and he had thought the bed in his quarters in Chaldea had been a luxury, at least compared to his bed back in his cabin in Midgard) bed that he realized the dust, sweat, and grime of the road were still clinging to him.

He almost laughed - how quickly he had become accustomed to being able to clean himself before resting for the evening. He was getting soft. (A deeply buried part of him admitted that, possibly, he would miss Chaldea's showers when he returned home.)

Nothing for it, however. He had no desire to wander the halls in search of the baths at this hour.

He had set his Axe and the Blades on a table, and removed his armor, and was debating the merits of just sleeping on the floor, instead of a bed that looked far too much like that it belonged in a brothel, when his communicator crackled.

"Kratos…are you still up?"

Fujimaru. "Speak." Somehow, despite her eccentric behavior, Kratos did not feel she was calling for a frivolous reason. But what could have happened in the moments since they had parted?

"Can you come to my room? I'm two doors down from you, and well, there's something you need to see." She did not sound as if she was in immediate danger, but there was a thread of uncertainty in her voice, one very different from the uncertainty she had, at times, shown before.

Kratos was out the room and rapping his fist on her door moments later, his axe gripped in his other hand. The door cracked open, and a red head of hair beckoned him into the room.

"I ducked my head in here before you called me up there to play nurse to the Emperor, and then I didn't get back here until after the banquet and our strategy session," she said, walking over to the bed, and pointed. "And while I didn't get a ton of time to look around, THAT wasn't here when I first arrived."

'That', in this case, was a rolled piece of paper, sealed with wax. "Sensei's watching through my eyes - if we need him, he'll be here in, well, two shakes of a horse's tail."

"You have not touched it?" As the seal was still unbroken, he did not think she had, but it was best to assume nothing.

"Nope. Mysterious scroll shows up on my bed? Not touching that with a ten-foot pole, and not without running it by leadership - which in this case, means you and Sensei." She frowned. "And I don't know if Da Vinci's knife would unload its charge if I used it to cut the seal - since I'm not about to touch that with my bare hands if I can help it. Didn't really ask her about using them to open correspondence."

"Wise," said Kratos, nudging the scroll with the head of his axe. He did not have the best senses for it, but to him, it felt like a completely ordinary scroll - if there was magic woven into it, it was very faint. More curious was the seal itself - it was the symbol of Chaldea itself, the curling branches, and the unique 'C' within them - inside, of all things, a heart - the stylized modern representation of the organ, at least.

"Yeah, that's the other thing that made me pick up the phone and ring you," said Fujimaru, hovering just behind him. "Neither Sensei or Mashie left that, and it doesn't seem like it'd be Cu's style - if he was trying to prank me, he'd do something more direct."

(Like turning up naked in her bed - if only for the shock value. They might have flirted a bit, but it was largely harmless fun. Cu flirted like he breathed, but in reality, she didn't think he'd lay a hand on her, even with her permission.)

"And he would not do such while we were deployed," said Kratos. The Irish Servant was at times irreverent, but in both Fuyuki and France he had been deadly serious when called to action. "Do you sense anything from it?"

Fujimaru shook her head. "Not a drop of magic, not even whatever was used to drop it off here. Which means it was done really carefully, or someone just dropped it on my bed like putting a bed mint on the pillow." She frowned. "Or it's so carefully hidden that I can't feel it, which, really, wouldn't take all that much. Still not yet that much of a mage."

Kratos grunted. Carefully, he extended a finger, and quickly, briefly, touched the scroll.

Nothing. Not even a tingle on his skin where he had touched it. He supposed that meant it was safe to handle.

He reached behind him and drew his knife.

"Want me to get Mashie?" Kratos stared at the girl. "You could point the letter at her shield, in case it's rigged with exploding runes or something, let that eat the blast instead of our faces."

Kratos considered, then shook his head. "No. I do not feel this is a trap. It feels far too complicated for such."

Fujimaru gave a grim chuckle at that. "When we have some time, remind me to tell you some of my mom's stories about ridiculous plans some Mages have concocted to get one over on each other, but you're the boss. I'll just be on the other side of the room here."

Kratos grunted, then slid the knife between the paper and the seal, and sliced through the wax, then pulled the scroll open.

No explosion, no burst of power. Nothing. It seemed he was right.

Now if only he could read the writing here. He could make out some of it, but other words still remained too complicated for him.

The sound of a chair being dragged across the floor broke him from his contemplation of the letter, then Fujimaru's head was peering over his shoulder. "Huh. Want me to read that aloud? Not sure how far along your reading lessons have gotten."

Another grunt from him, and she began speaking. "To the members of Chaldea, do not relax your guard. Your enemy has spies everywhere - even in Rome itself. And of course, that also includes assassins. Be wary."

Fujimaru frowned. "As to my identity, I cannot say, as I am watched carefully, and while I have taken precautions in case this letter falls into the wrong hands, no plan is foolproof. Suffice it to say that I find myself unwillingly in the service of your enemies, and, for reasons of my own, resent this fact. I will seek to aid you in what ways I can until the time at which we can meet, face to face."

"Stay alive until then. Signed, a Co-conspirator, and an Unwilling Slave."

AUTHOR'S NOTES: Britain - builds possibly the largest Empire in the history of humanity, upon which, legendarily, they claimed the 'sun would never set', and imported all manner of things from these lands - including spices. Uses none of them in their food. Headdesk

No detour to a volcano for a pointless side bit to connect to a leyline solely so there can be some fights - early FGO writing and 'suddenly wyverns'. I'm generally going to go with the bit about most major cities - at least old ones, having leylines under them.

Chiron - 'How are you still standing?'
Nero - 'TRIPLE GUTS, BITCH!'

This Nero isn't a Servant, so she's not going to be going toe-to-toe with Servants anytime soon, and if it does happen, it's not going to be when she's by her lonesome. So, I'm touching more on what she learned from Simon Magus here - since she learned enough from him to qualify as a Caster - and without forcing herself into the class like she did for her Saber version. Part of the Summer UMU profile even says it's a better fit for her than Saber. And Rider would be an even better fit, but she avoids that like a plague because it strays too far to Beast UMU, or so I've read.

Honestly, it's a weird choice to have Septem and Okeanos have living characters as the main support Servant in them - AND Camelot, but that's because it's a massive OH SHIT! moment in the final fight when that coin is dropped, as Bedi's been burning himself away at both ends to try to save the Lion King.

OOC Everyone: Chiron, you get to the Face for our Shadowrun party. Because Kratos is grumpy, Fujimaru can't control her mouth, Avenger is AVENGER, Cu is trouble, Mash is still learning to be human, and Medusa is far too quiet for the job.

OCC Chiron: 'But I wanted to be a Street Samurai!'

Not a ton of action this chapter, but need to establish the state of things before we hit the starting gun. Septem in game never felt like the Roman Empire was really being pressured, so that's something I'm aiming to highlight better this time around. A more minor sin of Septem considering its more egregious flaws (too much Nero-simping), but still an issue that's glaringly obvious to me as I re-read the chapter with fresh eyes.

This chapter brought to you by SLASH.

Happy Memorial Day to you lot. Hope you're enjoying your day off, for those in the States.