It was a very calm night for such turbulent times. Soldiers chatted over daily matters, sharing jokes and happily taking on their duties. Couples spent themselves on dates, their young pups played on the grass over bones of hunted prey. Leaning on a tree, Arcail saw the fruits of his unification efforts. It had taken what seemed an eternity, but at last, the Lupus Wolfpacks were all united. Gone were the days petty packs would slaughter each other for food or land. No more had they to fear being picked apart one by one at the hands of a greater nation. Through diplomacy and warfare, Arcail brought his race to act, think and see themselves as one. This harmony between them wasn’t a sight he often imagined would be possible. Some might say the struggles of the past are forgotten once the objective is achieved, but it wouldn’t be the case for him. He would never forget what it took to get everything to that point.

They left their previous settled lands. The migration south was partially because of their plan, but indeed due to a lack of resources as well. To feed hundreds of thousands of Lupus was a difficult assignment. They couldn’t, and mostly did live off the land, relying on their hunting capabilities. Was the population to continue growing, such practices wouldn’t be enough. Arcail had already ordered the population to get accustomed to consuming bread, wine, and other roman products. They would need to adapt to the local environment were they to make a permanent place for themselves. Supplies taken from villages, and traded from merchants were enough for now, but one day they had learned agriculture. It was unavoidable. The Lupus couldn’t continue being nomadic tribes anymore but change into the Roman way of sedentary civilizations. It was a massive transformation to overtake, needing planning and time to adapt well, but it had to be done. Their numbers would increase, quality of life heighten and respect from their neighbors solidify. If his people were well off, the means to achieve it mattered little.

One of the kids were thrown away from the group playing. It rolled away, getting a few light bruises. It was the work of his own son, Litchios. He was using too much force against his friends. As a pure-blooded member of their bloodline, he had a natural advantage in physical strength of the normal pups, so a disparity couldn’t be avoided. Were there any other young ones of his type around Arcail would focus on getting them to play in a separate corner, but alas, there wasn’t any. His son would need to learn to control himself, an important part of becoming an adult, and one day, a proper Alpha Lupus.

Between the kids playing and the soldiers talking some bushed were pushed off, someone trying to get through. It was a member of his personal guard, an unremarkable, yet competent Lupus. He gestured to him, “… Are they all there?” Arcail asked.

“They are.” The guard nodded, “They now only wait for your arrival to begin.”

“Alright.” Arcail uncrossed his arms, getting his back off the tree. Some leaves were caught on his furs. He cleaned them away while nearing the guard. Giving a quick glance to his son, he was getting the kid knocked over back in his pawns. They returned to playing, Arcail smiling as he passed through the forest.

Their location was as forested as their previous one. The thick woods abundant in insects and small animals, most hiding as the two monsters passed by. They got to another open area, the main center of their chosen location. Tens of thousands of Lupus were congregating with their families, using both roman products in their daily activities as well as traditional minimalistic Lupus items. Manned by the rest of his guard, the largest tent was where they headed.

Arcail remembered well when this one had been acquired. When they first got to the peninsula and were refused asylum, the previous emperor trying to mount an attack to expel them. The first time their people fought as one they were decisively victorious. The emperor died, along with his legions. His personal belongings and property of the legions helped wonders in assisting the wolfpacks in adapting to the region. His own tent was now used by them as a congregation for important issues. Presumably, his daughter is still the legitimate Empress, a mere child of 11. Arcail never quite acknowledged her, knowing well it was Minerva who directed the Empire. With the return of Gaius, however, it was doubtful it would remain so.

The guards opened the way, letting them enter. Inside was a large square table, it’s chairs and corners manned by all the previous leaders of the independent wolfpacks. Arcail had granted them all a position in his ranks once conquered, a consolation prize not to generate too much spite towards his reign.

“Alpha Lupus Arcail, we welcome you in this meeting.” Said one of the generals, He put a scroll on the table, opening it. It was a map of the Imperial Peninsula, detailing the region’s cities and geographical landmarks.

“Very well...” Arcail said, getting on his chair, “… Before we begin, is there anything I should be aware off?”

The generals looked at each other, most of them shaking their heads.

“… Nothing? Then I shall start…” he laid a finger over the map, landing on a depiction of Tioch, “I have received reports saying Codubia’s diplomatic mission has been a success. An alliance was formed between us.”

“… She was sent there to negotiate with Venus Elagabalus, correct?” asked a general.

Arcail nodded, “She insisted in going personally, allowing me to remain in my position here… It’s good to know she has succeeded, even more so considering who she had to persuade…”

“… That succubus is a snake is all but form.” Said a general, “It’s folly to take her word at face value, no matter what kind of agreement was reached!”

“I’m inclined to agree…” Arcail sighed, “Codubia warned me of her behavior, saying she didn’t trust her. An insidious and subversive demon, in her own words. For now, however, she seems to be on our side. Only time can tell if it will remain so…”

“…. You seem to have a bit of trust in the roman. What makes you believe in her pledge of alliance?”

“Believe in her? Hardly.” Arcail chuckled, “My belief lies not in her words, but her actions. She has given us a very valuable hostage as proof of her intentions.”

“… A hostage?” asked a faraway officer, “Who?”

“Minerva Aureliana.” Arcail said with a clear tone. The Lupus turned their heads away, whispering at each other. Some continued to look at him, while other’s faces contorted in doubt.

“… Minerva? THE Minerva?” asked more than a few, “You speak of the elf who acts as regent for the kid emperor?”

“I do.” Arcail affirmed, “The intended to convince her sister to return to the empire, but our deal seemed to prevail in the end. She was taken prisoner through the use of strong magic and is currently in chains.”

His reply finished, the generals returned to whisper, but louder and with greater conviction. Of course, as an Alpha Lupus his hearing ability was exceptional. They knew it but continued to gossip. Aware of the general sentiment, the next question wasn’t surprising.

“… If Minerva is our prisoner, then that changes everything.” Said one of Arcail most trusted generals, “If Rome has been deprived of it’s last competent and skillful Divine Legionnaire, then taking it should be our immediate priority!”

“Agreed!” shouted a more aggressive-minded officer, “That cunt Minerva was the sole reason the empire could even keep breathing! Now it is only protected by weak, ill-equipped city guards led by a little girl… And we don’t do anything about it!?”

“… He might be brash, but he’s right. Now’s the opportunity we have waited for. To destroy Rome once and for all. We don’t need an alliance with Venus. We should march on it at once with the many men we already have.”

The many generals present would compliment on each other’s assessment until reaching a conclusion to face Arcail with. He let them debate a little further, finally interrupting, “… The last time a Lupus tried to forcefully take Rome wasn’t too long ago…. Barely more than a week, in fact.” Arcail stared at each of the most talkative generals, “… Would you care to explain to me what happened then?”

“… You speak of Iraminus?” asked one of the bravest among them, “I heard he tried to siege and sack Rome but got his entire wolfpack was annihilated in the attempt…”

“… I also heard about it, including how there were almost no survivors…”

“… It’s good they left their families behind, otherwise, they might have met the same fate…”

“… Don’t be such cowards!” A general hit the table, shaking it, “Minerva is no longer there to defend the city. We have nothing to fear from meeting that same fate as Iraminus!”

“… You are wrong.” Arcail said, glancing at him, “It wasn’t Minerva the one responsible for the defense. She’s very strong, likely having killed thousands by her own, but she couldn’t stop such a large-scale attack with so few soldiers on her side, not against an experienced Alpha Lupus…”

“… It wasn’t her?” the general asked, “Who was it another Divine Legionnaire?”

“… No.” Arcail sighed, “… Since we have reached this topic, there’s no longer any point in keeping secrets… There is an additional reason I called on this meeting...” The previous semi-friendly mood died. All eyes were on Arcail, a silence waiting for him to break, “… I fear that Gaius, The World Conqueror has returned to this world.”

“… Gaius?” the Lupus generals asked, seemingly ignorant of the weight the name carried, “… Who is this Gaius?” they asked, some remaining quiet.

“… As the title suggests, this is a man who once conquered the world. An incredibly talented and powerful individual, borderline legendary, and if the tales are true, a divine being. He is an ancient spirit, a wrathful and merciless tyrant… And the man responsible for my scar…” He touched his old wounds, the memories of long ago returning vividly.

The confusion in his generals’ faces was understandable. Arcail remained the only survivor of that dreadful night. When the emperor focused on destroying a tribe, he left no stone unturned. Only later he would learn Gaius had exterminated the Alpha Lupus peoples. He was the only exception, for a reason still unknown to him. It wasn’t out kindness, that much was certain.

He still had nightmares about him. His purple eyes the gateway to a bottomless hell he brought to his victims. The aura of unrelenting ruthless with an ambition to devour the world. For Arcail to imagine he would face him again sent straight shivers to his spine and tail. Part of him wanted to flee, like his brother Litchios ordered him too back then. For such a long time he was driven by revenge, only to learn Gaius was gone. Without a purpose or family, Arcail spent the last millennium remaking both. Focusing his time in uniting the Lupus and reforming the Alpha population was heading to a promising prospect, but now it all could come crashing down. Gaius once again threated his people and family, and Arcail would not lose them again.

“… This Gaius… How can you be so sure he is back?”

The general’s question brought Arcail away from his thoughts, “… I’ve talked with the few survivors of Iraminus’ wolfpack. The descriptions of his magical prowess and appearance as exactly as I remember…. One of the disadvantages of living such a long life are the ghosts from past hunting your future… “

“… You sound very concerned about him… Just how strong is he?”

“… How strong? Hard to tell… The roman legends would have you believe he is invincible and all-powerful, but I don’t believe it goes as far as that. All men have their limitations and weaknesses. He is, however, absolutely not to be underestimated. I don’t know how, I don’t know why, but Gaius is back, and demands our full attention and effort if the Lupus are to survive his return.”

“… So we can’t take Rome, is that what you are saying? Just because of this Gaius?” asked the aggressive general.

“… Not yet.” He pointed to an open grass field between Rome and Tioch, “Once we meet with Codubia and Venus, we will integrate their legion as a special task force. We will task them to take the city while our main forces, led by myself are focusing on Gaius. If we don’t have the quality, we must make do with quantity. It is our only viable strategy.”

“… I see, so that’s why you were so concerned about securing an alliance with Venus.”

“…Our plan bottles down to overwhelming a single man with our entire army? And you are implying it might not be enough? How preposterous…”

“… How can we even be sure we can get to this Gaius? She surely must be aware not to be swarmed by the enemy. He will most likely remain behind those old walls…”

“That’s where Minerva come around.” Arcail said, “We might be able to set up a trap or distraction involving her, forcing Gaius to abandon the city and allow our men to attack.” He sighed, “… Of course, whether he would risk his city for a strong soldier’s life is questionable. I am counting on his arrogance to play a part, as he won’t either allow his highly valuable servant to be killed or turn down the challenge of combat.”

“… It’s a risky plan, but at least we have one…” a general said, glancing at Arcail, “… Assuming we are victorious, what shall be done with Rome?”

“… We will sack it, of course!” shouted a general, “We must avenge Iraminus, and finish what he couldn’t!”

“… Don’t be such a fool. Rome is a rich city. We must occupy and fully integrate it in the name of our people….”

“… The city must be destroyed. Only with a total destruction of the capital can we finally end the days of the empire….”

“… We are doing none of that.” Arcail affirmed, “We are not sacking, occupying, nor are we destroying the imperial capital. Our goal is not to dismantle the empire.”

“… What?” many of the men asked, “What will we do to the Romans?”

“We will ally them.” Arcail raised his head, “If we are to cast away our image as lawless barbarians, we must think in the long term. A friendly empire is far more beneficial to use than a smoldering ruin. The Romans know many useful things our people don’t. Their agriculture, culture, technology and magical knowledge far surpass our own. We must learn these things and adapt to the future we are carving not only for ourselves, but for our children, and their children.”

“… Ally them? How can we?”

Arcail rolled his eyes to the general, “… How do you think we managed to secure Venus’ support? We will recognize her as Empress of the Romans, and she will retribute by recognizing our authority over many lands, agreeing to settle a trade and diplomatic ties between us.”

“… Let me see if I understand this straight….” The general sat opposite to Arcail inclined forward, “… We are to join with Venus, a demon known for her misconducts. Then we will take our forces to fight a legendary roman divine entity, and to then, if we win, give the empire to the hands of that same man’s creation?” he sighed, “… And this is the best we can do?”

The generals lowered their heads, twiddling their thumbs. They talked about how mad Arcail must have been going, some considering fleeing with their former wolfpacks if things went wrong. The base keeping the Lupus together was still fragile, and to throw them into a difficult problem was going to test that base quite stressfully. Arcail, familiar with Gaius, knew there was no choice. They would run into these tests of unity eventually, so it might as well be now.

Arcail crossed his arms, “… Sure, you can make anything sound ridiculous with the right amount of effort, but I get your point. We are walking a fine line, and the slightest of deviations can cause disaster to erupt….” Arcail smirked, “… But as long as keep our heads high, we can push through anything. I’m quite confident once Gaius’ magicka runs out, I could take him on. Even against him weakened state it would be hard but can manage. We must manage.”

It wasn’t the best of his motivational speeches, but it worked fine enough. The general’s foul mood faded away, their burdens placed on Arcail consciously on his part. It was true he could rival Gaius in raw strength, but to put it to use would prove challenging. A worrying thought came to him. Just how many storm spells could Gaius cast? Even worse was to ask if that was not his strongest magic. Nerve minding the problem, Arcail had to overcome it. It was his duty as an Alpha Lupus, and a father. Not to lose another Litchios in his family was to be his driving will.

The generals nodded, seeing the fire hi his red eyes, “… I will stand by your side, no matter the odds.”

“… You can count on me too!”

“…. And me as well...”

His men declared their allegiance, ready to follow Arcail in the battles to come. Few satisfactions felt quite like knowing your men stood with you willingly and confidently. They would need this resolve against Gaius, and to the future battles yet to come. He smiled, looking down at the map.

His ears lifted sharply upwards, a high-pitched howl echoing from afar. It was faint, but still within a range he could not only hear but identify. It was Codubia’s howl, and most pressingly, a sign she was in danger.

“… Did you hear that!?” asked Arcail, getting up from his desk and facing the open exit of the tent.

“… I think I heard someone’s howl…” a general replied, “What of it?”

“It was Codubia’s… If she has resorted to it, then… Shit…” Arcail grinned, clenching his fists, “…. Something went wrong…”

The generals got off from the table, their ears searching for the sound their leader spoke off, “… Is Codubia in trouble?”

“…. She must have been taken, prisoner… Dammit…” Arcail cursed, “… That Venus, to betray us so soon… Why?” he walked in circles, “Why would she betray us so soon? Was the empire not a prize big enough? Did she grow uninterested in it?” he sighed, “… This is horrible…. My dear Codubia….”

“… Sir, please calm yourself!” pleaded a general, “We have no idea what happened. It doesn’t help jumping to conclusions…”

Arcail bit his lips, “… I’m sure this is her voice. For her to howl, and for her to be able to howl can only mean was taken alive. She’s only a few tens of kilometers away… We must rescue her!” he walked to the exit, his generals following.

“… Wait, sir, hold on! Will we attack Venus’ Legion?”

“Yes.” He nodded, “IF we can’t have them as allies, we need to destroy them before they join with our enemies. We will give Venus an excuse to explain herself, but until then we will arrive in full force.”

“Understood.” The generals said, “We will prepare our men to…”

“… Sir! Sir Arcail!”

A lupus scout ran from the forest, stepping through many passing by soldiers. He barged them out of the way, desperate not to waste time. Arcail was caught by the effort he made, asking “… What is it?”

“… Sir… Arcail…” he knelt, arriving to his presence, “… I have… A report… From the scouts…” he said, taking heavy breaths.”

Arcail let him breathe for a moment, putting his hand on his shoulder, “… What is it, lad?”

“A carriage… A carriage was seen… Coming out of Rome… And… And entering the Roman Camp Codubia was in…”

Arcail raised an eyebrow, “… A carriage?”

“… Yes… A carriage, guarded by Romans and bearing the Imperial Banners… “ he looked into his red eyes, “… You heard the howl too, didn’t you? It sounded not long after the carriage entered the camp…”

Arcail let go of his shoulder, staring into the void forming in his mind,”… Gaius…” he whispered, “… Gaius is there….”

“… Gaius is in the camp with Codubia and Venus?” asked a general, “… Are… Are we to still attack?”

“… No.” Arcail shook his head, kneeling to the scout, “… You did good lad. You deserve some rest.” Arcail turned to some soldiers, “Take him to the hospital to relax.”

“Sir.” The soldier helped the scout up, lifting him away with them.

Arcail was surrounded by his generals, “… What will we do now?” his main general asked, “Our plan is in ruins…”

“…. Not entirely.” Arcail said, “… Our chances have greatly diminished, but it only forces us to give our best even more.” He eyed all of the men looking at him, “… We will need to make some great alterations to our plan, needing to make even bolder moves than before…”

“… What do you mean?” an officer asked.

Arcail looked up in the sky, the winds of the cold and dark night sweeping his furs on and off. The light of the stars gleaming in his red pupils. He took a long, and deep breath, “… Ready the men.” He turned back, “… We are marching on Rome.”