It now has been over 2 years since I meet my teacher Niloticus. We delayed the departure a bit so that I could celebrate my thirteen birthday with my family. I finished my magic and combat training with an 'acceptable' performance. Niloticus may be the most demanding teacher on Octanian, but also one of the best and most knowledgeable ones. It has its perks to have an over 300 years old mentor.

While I wouldn’t become a mage I had nonetheless tried to learn a few lesser spells. I managed to pull ‘aqua’ off. A water spell that produces a tenth of a cup of water. Caeli, an air spell resulting in a very light wind push, like a breeze on a calm summer day. And igni, a fire spell that should produce a small flame at my fingertip. But I had yet to successfully cast that one.

I looked at the city on the horizon. Messana, we departed the city with a merchant ship from the Ruber Vulpes. The captain told me the ship type of his vessel. A corbita, common trade ships used by the empire for centuries. Slow, but it could carry a good amount of cargo and weather the storms of the Mediterranean Sea.

This particular one was produced in the shipyard of Syracusa. Our marine base. The city was chosen to be our new capital, after the destruction of Napule. The leading houses were not happy about the loss of power, but mother compromised. It would only be a temporary solution. Napule would be rebuilt in time.

Speaking of father, our legions had three more engagements with Valens. The first was a small victory in front of the Tiber river. The other a stalemate on two bridges. And the last a defeat when Duran tried to take Roma with a few hundred legionaries at night.

Uncle got wounded but would recover. Father later found out the position of the elite troops the east had sent into Italia. They had fortified Roma after the news of Valens defeat reached them. The counter-invasion into the heart of Italia reached a stalemate.

We are trying to persuade the northern cities to attack Roma, while the east stirs unrest under our vassals. They support our internal enemies and those who don’t want to submit to our rule in southern Italia and Sicillia.

Several revolts and the loss of some cities were the consequences. With the loss of the capital, the situation turned worse. Most cities were only vassals in name and nothing more. The realm would probably collapse if our legions are defeated decisively by Valens.

I didn’t like the sound of all this. Everything my family build up in Italia was in danger and I couldn’t do anything to stop the turning gears. I really wished to finish my education fast and support father in his campaign. A hand landed on my shoulder and I turned around.

“You look so gloomy. See the good sides of things. We can finally leave this boring city”, Alaric said. He had tagged along. His father seemed to have arranged something with mine. I didn’t mind and was even really happy about company on my trip to Alexandria.

“I’m not gloomy. It just feels wrong to abandon home in the current situation. What if I could make the difference in the conflict, tip the scales in our favour?”, I asked my friend and a reptilian laugh erupted behind me.

“You want to make a difference in a conflict your father and uncle barely turned to a stalemate? You can only do one thing and that is to sit down in Alexandria for a few years and learn to be a help to your father. Right now you are frankly useless”, said teacher as he looked at the horizon.

“He is right. We can’t make a difference as we are now. We need to become better. Hone our skills in all areas and make contacts with influential people”, Alaric added and I hate to agree. There was not much I could do, to better our country’s position.

“Great. Okay, you are both right. I will use the time, but when I can make a difference we will return to Messana”, I proclaimed and got thumps up from Alaric. Niloticus looked more like he expected me to stay a few extra years in Aegyptus.

“If you can, I will allow it. Until then, you have to follow my instructions. Want to hear something good?”, teacher smiled at me and I knew I didn’t want to know.

“Sure?”, I added and dreaded his answer.

“I have arranged full access to all parts of the great library. You will read a few sections and summarize them for me. If I am satisfied we go to the next one, if not repeat”, revealed teacher. More books, old books, boring books. On the other side a chance to acquire knowledge from the greatest archive of historic documents.

“I will be happy to fulfil your tasks”, I said to my teacher and his smile told me he didn’t believe me for a second. I should be able to find some old documents about Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great. There should be plenty of documents about ancient rulers and their governing styles.

“See the bright side of things. We can look at the most accurate maps in Octanian”, Alaric encouraged me again and I agreed. I wondered how they differed from our maps. The maps of our house only cover the old imperial realm. Most of the borders regions and the grand regions beyond were not on them.

The imperial dynasties never bothered to properly catograph beyond the border regions, but since the addition of non-humans in the east, a lot of knowledge was added to the library. There were still a few secrets everybody kept from the others, but it was a start nonetheless.

“By the way teacher, which houses rule in Alexandria?”, I asked Niloticus.

“It should be the third Triumvirate of Alexandria. There is house Bilibin. They are mostly Vodyanoies. Part of the sea-folk. Then there is house Ptolemy. They are from Graecia or Hellas and ...”

“Hellas? Are they not the country of Graecia, and they are the Graeci?”, I interrupted my teacher. I learned, that the demi-humans of Graecia were called Graeci, before the republic annexed them and the empire later resettled them.

“Yes, the Romans called them so, but they referred to themselves as Hellenes and called their home Hellas. So as I said house Ptolemy comes from Hellas and claims to be descendants from Alexander the Great”, teacher explained and I had to interrupt again.

“The Alexander the Great?”, I asked again. “How did they end up in Aegyptus?” A gust of water hit me in my face and I ended up on the wooden ground.

“Stop interrupting your teacher. Listen first and ask later!”, reprimanded Niloticus and continued his explanation. “The last house is house Caesar. And before you ask yes they claim to be descendants of the Julius Caesar. House Ptolemy ruled over Aegyptus after Alexander conquered it. They became independent when Alexander died under an unknown curse. House Bilibin claims to descend from ancient Egyptian royal families”, finished teacher.

“Unknown curse? Did it happen after his eastern expedition?”, I asked teacher. I only learned a bit about the Hellenic age under teacher and nothing before.

“Yes after his troops mutinied at the eastern edge of Octanian, he returned and died shortly after, under unknown circumstances, nobody could heal him. That kind of curse was only found again after the ancient ones moved over 200 years ago. We found a way to lift it then”, answered teacher.

“I really want to see it. The edge of the world. Did you know that Octanian is a globe? We could just sail off the eastern coast of Parthia and reach the coast of Lusitania”, Alaric interjected, and I was also intrigued at the possibility. Though teacher destroyed our ambitions rather quickly.

“I would advise against it. Many have tried and failed only one time an expedition reached the other end”, teacher interjected, and we both turned to look at him. He got the hint and explained.

“After emperor Trajan's victory over the Parthians, he started the second attempt of the empire to cross the great ocean. He hired King Atlas, ruler of Atlantis at that time. The city sunk 200 years ago. The king of Atlantis used a favour his family had with an Aspidochelon...”

“What is an Aspidochelon?”, we asked.

“It is a giant sea turtle with an island on its back, They sometimes get mistaken for actual islands. They are worshipped as the guardians of the ocean. The expedition managed to navigate through the waters, but only a few men of the crew survived. King Atlas was never found and the Aspidochelon died near the coast”, Niloticus said and I could see something in his eyes, which I never saw before, fear.

“What could kill an island”, Alaric asked.

“The great Kraken. The sea-folk believe he and his descendants live in the expanses of the ocean and hunt everybody who crosses without permission”, he explained.

“You spoke of the ancient ones. Are there more and who are they?”, I asked Niloticus.

“The king of the ice giants, Jötunn reigns the north. Sogos, queen of the southern dragons, rules the southern deserts with her blue flames. Octanian, the great Kraken, patrols the great ocean and pulls islands into the deep. That is how Atlantis vanished”, teacher said, and we looked at him with open mouths.

“He pulled a fucking island down! How does that even work?”, Alaric and I shouted at the same time. How terrifying are such creatures?

“It took time for him to do it, most of the sea-folk left the islands in the ocean and arrived at the coasts of the empire. Jötunn and Sogos changed climate itself. They are responsible for the great famines in the last centuries of the empire. Octanian flooded coastlines and islands”, teacher said.

“It’s like they are pure forces of nature. Ice, water, fire and … who are the rest?”, Alaric asked.

“Agaton, a massive Trent in the centre of the old elven capital awoke and chased most of the humanoid beings out of the north-eastern forest. Thuanara. A giant lindworm awoke in the Parthian mountains. He destroyed centuries of dwarven tunnel systems. There was something sealed in the eastern mountains by all of our ancestors...”

“Sealed by whom?”, I interjected Niloticus.

“The curse suffered by Alexander the Great had come from the eastern mountains. It spread from the east to the west. A lot of evil spirits and curses ravaged all races. It took decades to get them under control. The population has yet to recover from so many dead”, said teacher.

“So was the seal broken?”, I asked.

“That is hard to say. Some people believe yes others say it was only weakened or had a leak. Expeditions couldn’t find anything. What did happen was the appearance of dark ones in the following years. Around one percent of the population turned into them. And if you killed enough of them new ones would be created from the population. They were vampires, werewolves and others. Now part of our society like everybody else”, Niloticus didn’t add anything else and went to his cabin.

I had so many questions and Alaric seemed to have a lot as well. Five ancient beings were responsible for the collapse of the empire and the great migration of non-humans. So many cultures and countries just destroyed, because ancient beings woke from their slumber? I shook my head at the thought.

I planned to find out more in the library and with the help of teacher. I continued t talk a bit with Alaric. He seemed to be very interested in the history of the dark ones. As he was one himself. Alaric hoped to find some records of their history in the great library. I wanted to look at the documents over old empires, kingdoms and republics first.

There should be plenty of ideas from the old times I could use for myself. Old knowledge long forgotten may give us the edge in the war against the east and finally enable us to solidify our position in southern Italia.

Near the city of Roma. Military headquarters of the Neapolitan legions.

“What did you get?”, Duran asked his brother while he read through the reports of the scouts.

“It is a message from Serenity. She told me all is well with our family and Lucius departed to Alexandria with Niloticus”, Jagu said visibly relieved at his family’s safety.

“Nothing more?”, Duran smiled at his brother.

“What more do you expect?”, Jagu answered.

“Marcena told me in her letter, that she missed my presence in bed. Don’t be discouraged brother, everybody has weak and strong points”, Duran snickered at his brother’s grimace.

It took Jagu a few moments to collect himself. He just looked at his younger brother for a while and simply shook his head.

“We have a battle and a siege to plan. Focus, or we have to do everything from the start again”, Jagu reminded him and Duran began to focus on the situation at hand again.

“I see no way to breach Roma’s walls. We lack the suitable equipment and the numbers of legionaries. We should try to defeat Valens in an open battle and construct a siege ring around Roma afterwards”, Duran suggested and Jagu just groaned.

“Easier said than done. Valens plays extra careful. He doesn’t cross the river anymore and mirrors our movements. He will only start a fight if he holds an advantage. The last stunt won’t work again as well. Valens replaced Arcadius and improved his communication lines”, Jagu stated the facts and Duran seemed deep in thought.

“Is there an answer from the northern alliance? Their help would turn the situation in our favour”, Duran asked.

“The negotiations are stuck. The elves in Gallia are planning another invasion into Italia. I am sure the eastern elven court had a hand in this. The human part as well is fairly uncooperative”, Jagu said.

“Is there no way to convince them? What were their demands for help?”, Duran asked.

“All territories in the middle of Italia up to Roma. Servitude to them and the split from Sicillia and Neapoli into two government bodies”, Jagu said and Duran expression agreed with his assessment.

“I call horseshit. They want everything for doing the least amount of work. It will cost them dearly to underestimate us or the east”, Duran continued to read reports, while Jagu prepared a letter for the enemy.

“It may be wise to sue for peace. The situation doesn’t get better for either of us with time. Both sides could profit from a ceasefire”, Jagu talked to himself not sure of his own deliberations.

“Don’t, as long as they have a foothold in Italia we will never get the east off us. Our navy can stop them from reinforcing efficiently. Let them starve on their supplies for a few months”, Duran suggested continuing the status quo.

“I know, but our situation is not better. Fewer cities support us with ducats or goods. Our hold on them is weak. We will soon starve as well”, Jagu said.

“We could ask the Republic of Carthage for help or the duchies of Sardinia and Corsica”, Duran suggested asking local powers for help.

“The duchies want a marriage alliance with my daughters. I will not sell my family members. They probably also want to use our weakened state against us as soon as the east is defeated. A claim to my realm is the last thing I will give them”, Jagu said firmly and Duran nodded at him. He also would never consider such a compromise.

“That leaves the second Republic of Carthage. Let me guess, they want money and excessive trading rights?”, Duran asked.

“Yes it would break us economically and make us dependent on their financial support”, Jagu sighed at their options. “I have sent a delegation to the Visigoths in Hispania. They may be more inclined to help.”

Duran nodded at his brother but didn’t believe in their help. The Visigoths were warring against the Numidian Kingdom and wouldn’t be able to help. Also, they had no reason to help them. Rulvir stormed the tent at that moment with Firnadena in tow.

“I have found something”, said Firnadena with a smile. “There is an old shaft connected to the water supplies of the city.”

“Where is it located?”, Jagu and Duran asked at the same time.

“It moves under two points of the wall and both passages were blocked by Valens”, Rulvir saw the faces he got and explained further. “, but we can still use those tunnels. A collapse at the right place will redirect the flow of the sewage system back into the city and flood the canalization and streets.”

“It depends on how much water will be used in the coming days and how much rain will fall, but he is right Jagu. We could use the diversion and cross the Tiber. Sent some hundred men there for further confusion”, Duran suggested.

“We will make preparations to flood the city. I want the legions to be ready. The cavalry will lead the attack with all available water mages. Also, call for Titania, she will need to stop her blockade and help us in the crossing. We will create a bridge out of ships”, Jagu commanded and everybody started to make preparations. A messenger was sent to Titania for redeployment.

“Do you think it is a good idea to give the enemy time to reinforce their position? Titania’s blockade is the only reason the enemy hasn’t sent more legions”, Duran shared his worries.

“It is our only chance. We can’t continue with the current situation. I have an enemy before me and unruly subjects behind. A decisive victory is what we need now and Rulvir's plan gives us the best chances. We will crush Valens here and now”, Jagu proclaimed and only noticed in the end, that he was shouting in excitement.

Finally, a chance to break the stalemate.

“Fine, I will have to prepare the men for the operation. Heavy equipment will be left behind. Have our wyverns arrived?”, Duran asked.

“Yes we have six, but the enemy still has over twenty. We can only use them with great caution”, Jagu explained.

“I had another Idea let us use them to attack Roma. As another diversion. Titania also has a way to mask her fleet in mist we could use this in our crossing as cover”, Duran suggested and Jagu agreed with his brother idea.

“They would all die then. But we will need their sacrifice. Sent me the riders. I want to speak with them personally later”, Jagu ordered.

They continued to perfect their tactic for the crossing and coordinated their legions for the manoeuvrer. Valens noticed the enemies’ movement and prepared for possible attacks. Their side of the river was fortified by a wooden palisade.

Jagu ignored Valens preparations. They wouldn’t cross the river here anyway. The plan was to move downward for a few kilometres and use the mist as cover and then cross the river. It would allow them to surprise the enemy from the side and cross without enemy interference. At least that was the plan.