Hero of Rome

Camilla

The Chamber of the Night was more silent than death as Camilla returned. Her sisters, clad in dark robes as she was, said nothing as she made her way through the halls to the floral room with tall, stained glass windows. For a moment, Camilla thought that they would unsheathe their blades from their robes and attack her. She had seen it done many times before. But they held their blades, much to her relief. They even cast their eyes away from her, as if she were some sin to behold.

They knew. Of course they did.

Nothing was hidden from their cult. Persephone had ensured their hands were in every corner of Antiquitus. If empires were to fall, no, to yield to Persephone’s plans of utopia under her leadership, then they must be thorough.

It was this thoroughness that had led to her first defiance.

Camilla took a shaky breath as she stopped at the doors to Persephone’s chamber, the Lady of the Night.

Her master did not accept failure, even less outright betrayal. Their spies within Max’s new villa, his household servants in particular, would have gotten the word back to Persephone of what she did. There was no point in trying to hide or deny it. Camilla felt no guilt about what she did either. She truly cared for Max and was grateful that she both saved him in the arena and gave him a chance at life by her hastily written note.

No shame in protecting those you loved.

The solid doors made no sound as Camilla pushed them aside, entering into Persephone’s chambers. Surrounding the elevated throne on the other side were Luna’s Sentinel. Three women stood on either side of the throne, dressed in silver robes with moon-shaped shields and pale swords. Their faces were completely shrouded by their robes, becoming as lifeless as the moon itself. They would have no difficulty cutting Camilla down where she stood.

Neither would Persephone. Her master lay not on the throne but stood before it, her gown of flowers arranged with every kind of beautiful flora. As soon as Camilla entered, Persephone’s pomegranate eyes flashed to Camilla’s, a stark contrast to her dark brown hair.

To Camilla’s surprise, there wasn’t a trace of anger in those startling eyes. Instead, there looked to be only compassion, the eyes a mother would have whenever her beloved child committed a wayward act. Persephone’s hands opened up to Camilla, beckoning her to embrace.

“My daughter,” she said, her voice just as sincere. “Come.”

Still cautious and afraid, Camilla walked forward and carefully wrapped her arms around the beautiful woman. Persephone said nothing for a long time as she carefully embraced Camilla.

After a few minutes, Persephone broke away and gestured for Camilla to follow her out of the room. Luna’s Sentinel moved without a sound behind them.

“What is troubling you, daughter?” Persephone said as she led the way outside their stone sanctuary and into the densely wooded forest overlooking a nearby, misty lake.

Where to begin?

“I’m not sure,” Camilla said, following her master through the trees to the shore of the lonely lake.

“Do you question our purpose?”

“No! That for me is certain, my lady.”

“It is the boy, then? Maximus.”

It wasn’t really a question. More of a confirmation of what was known. Maximus, or Max to her, was why she began to question everything she was doing. There was such belief in his eyes, an unquestioning resolve to right this world through strength and honor, not deception and control.

There was a growing part of Camilla that believed it.

“You care for him,” Persephone said, again not asking. “I can see it clearly. And I understand why. He is brave, noble amongst men, handsome even.”

Camilla blushed at that.

“That is why you saved him in the gladiator tournament,” she continued. “That much is clear. But, what still remains obscure to me is why you gave away our plans to him.”

They had reached the shore of the quiet lake. Persephone, full of god-like beauty, turned to look at her. There was nothing but sincerity in her eyes, eyes that Camilla could trust.

Camilla sighed. “I think… I think it was what happened to the crowds watching the games. They were needlessly slaughtered. I saw my sisters spreading derogatory chants against the emperor, encouraging them to protest.” Camilla shook her head, trying to block out the memory. “So many children died by those giants as a result.”

Persephone gently took Camilla’s face in one hand. “I know. But you must always remember, their deaths are on Rome. We would not have to do this if it weren’t for them. Rome cannot fall if it is not divided first against its leadership, as with any empire.”

Persephone turned away to look at the still lake. “I remember when I was first abducted by Pluto. I was so terribly afraid when it happened. To go from this beautiful world to the depths of the dead, to be his mistress whenever it pleased him. I was nothing but an object to him, to do as he wished. Those men, Elagabalus, Nero, Caligula, even Maximus, all share the same heart. Though they may not be equal in their deeds, they are men in the end. Men that will make empty promises to be better than those who came before, only to make the same mistakes again and again. Maximus knows this, you know this. Our freedom cannot be trusted to those who have consistently failed to lead. We must bring the heavens down to earth if we are to ever reach it.”

There was truth to her words, but Camilla found she couldn’t fully accept them. Max was different from those men she described. And how were the deaths of innocents on the people who did not ultimately cause their deaths?

“In light of this, I am tasking you to retrieve the artifact of Morpheus in the labyrinth once it opens,” she continued, turning to look again at Camilla.

“Me?” Camilla said, shocked. She was expecting a swift execution, not an important assignment which their cult depended on for utopia.

“Yes. You and your sister are one of the few who know of what power Morpheus has and how it will achieve our goal. We will not be able to bring the world into a heavenly rest without it.”

Camilla shook her head. “I’m sorry, I can’t. Max will undoubtedly go there. I cannot face him. I will do anything else you ask, but I don’t think I have the strength to overcome him. I… I saw him with his new bride, and it nearly broke me.”

Shockingly, several tears began sliding down her warm cheeks. She wiped them away before any more could fall.

Persephone smiled with sincerity, grasping Camilla’s arm for encouragement. “He has chosen his path, so you must accept it. It will do you only harm to love the things which will destroy you.”

It all came out like a flood now.

“I… I don’t know why! He is unlike anyone I have ever met, in this life and the one before. He has proven me wrong about men, even our goals. And… he has awakened such a strong desire to be with him.” Camilla shook her head, the tears breaking forth unstoppable. “I don’t understand what’s wrong with me. I’m sorry, I will not be able to face him. You’ll need to choose someone else.”

“It pains me that it comes to this,” Persephone said, sighing. She snapped to her Luna Sentinel and pointed to the lake behind them.

Camilla turned to watch as the silver guards strode into the lake, up to their hips, before reaching down and yanking someone up to the surface. The girl gasped violently for air, hacking water from her lungs as she struggled to breathe.

“Octavia!” Camilla said, stunned by her sister's violent emergence. By the looks of it, Octavia had been submerged the entire time. It was a miracle she didn’t drown. How long had she been under?

Camilla lashed her gaze back to Persephone, seeing only her calm disposition.

“Your sister is one of our finest,” Persephone said, her voice heavy with compassion as she placed a red flower in Camilla’s ear. “Beautiful. Yet, it is you who has power over Maximus. He, thanks to you, poses a threat we cannot tolerate. We have learned from watching Caesar’s journal that he can now see thirty-four minutes into the future. He will be our undoing if we do not stop him. You will go with your sisters to the labyrinth opening when the new moon arrives, and you will ensure the artifact is retrieved.

“Maximus will undoubtedly slaughter your sisters, a necessary sacrifice, but he will not harm you. Men are so easily predictable; they are all the same. You will use your charm on him as you did before to keep yourself alive once you make it into the labyrinth. Otherwise…”

Persephone let her eyes drift to Octavia, who lay gasping for air while the silver guards held each arm.

“Do not let me down, Camilla,” Persephone warned, leaving her and Octavia alone with the guards. “Prepare yourself and your sisters for the task ahead. Remember what is at stake if you fail.”

Camilla’s mind was a storm of chaos at the sudden turn of events. Persephone, who often lamented how she was used by others, was now doing the very same thing to achieve what she wanted.

What we want, Camilla thought to herself, before her sister gasped loudly again, recapturing her attention.

“I’m okay,” Octavia insisted, strangely seeming at peace as Camilla rushed to join her in the water. “Don’t worry about me sister, alright? I’ll be fine.”

“She drowned you!” Camilla whispered.

“She’s only trying to discipline you.”

“By killing you?”

Octavia closed her eyes, visibly tired from holding her breath and arguing. “We are so close, Camilla. You know what will happen once we find it in the labyrinth. We cannot stop now. Think of mother.”

Camilla was very aware of the heaven they would create. She thought about it daily, even more so now that she began to question the methods her cult was using to achieve it. Camilla and Octavia, and presumably the Luna Sentinel, were the few sisters to know what power would be unlocked once they found the artifact of Morpheus. Persephone said it would grant the cult the ability to submit the entire world to sleep, where they would enter into a new reality.

As for the purpose of plunging the existing regimes into chaos for now, that was unclear. Their original plan to use Cetus to slay the sun god Phoebus made sense, that it would power this dream world. But now that he was dead, what was to power this god-like ability?

Persephone kept many secrets to herself, including this.

However, for this new dream world they would create, it would be in the full direction of the cult. Utopia could actually, perpetually, be achieved. There would be one government, one purpose, one people. There would be no more pointless repeating of history as Max had proved. Humanity could finally rest and enjoy this life, forever.

And in it, Max would be Camilla’s.

At least that was what she hoped for. There was no telling what Persephone would do with their enemies. All she knew was that for the collective, peace would be forever established.

It would be worth it. It had to be.

Camilla took a deep breath, nodding in agreement with her sister. Their mother had been impossible to find in Antiquitus, but making their second life count, bringing hope to the entire world, would redeem their previous life that was thrown away by greedy men.

“You’re right. For mother,” Camilla said, and she meant it. She would not be doing this for Persephone, especially after threatening to kill Octavia. She would make a better world for her mother, her sister, and herself.

“For mother,” Octavia repeated. “And myself.”

Camilla smiled weakly.

It was time to face Max.