Lucius weakened body was brought to its knees as his captors effortlessly shove him with their fists. He raised his head and glanced around him. He saw the Ronan soldiers pulling the dead bodies of his men. He turned to the direction of where the bodies were taken and saw a stack of cadavers and on top of it, was the worst person he had ever met, the dark-natured Aemon Evander sitting on the mound of his dead army. A horrendous sight to see, he hung his head downwards with his eyes closed and began to sob.
"Well, well. It seems the stubborn King is alive and kicking." teased Aemon with derision.
Lucius could hear him taunt, He opened his mouth trying to respond, but only air came out, so he closed his mouth again.
"Why do you fight me? What are your intentions?"
Still, he couldn't speak, he felt himself being dragged back up to his feet and was tossed towards Aemon.
"I have to admit your legions are the best I've ever faced, I give you the credit," he struck his long teethed sword upon the pile with a force. He marched staunchly down the pile to meet his captive, clenching his old and Veny fists.
"You see, sometimes, wars are not fought with clubs and sticks but by whatever it takes to achieve." He proceeded, tapping his index finger on his head.
Lucius remained silent, there wasn't anything left to say or even do as he watched the old man lecture him.
Aemon grimaced and sneered at his face. "You vetoed the chances given to you, you left me with no choice, Lucius Marcellus."
Lucius struggled to reply, but he only managed to open and close his mouth a few times, which resulted in him making muffled and gurgling sounds as he tried desperately to get enough breath in him. His chest felt heavier and heavier as each passing moment passed by, he knew if he could just take one last gasp of air, then he wouldn't be at the mercy of this monster.
Aemon's face softened as he looked at Lucius, he reached out and placed his hand on Lucius' shoulder.
"I know you're scared, I am too, but we can make this work, together, if you join me."
"I will never partake in your lunatic and stupid cult." Lucius finally mumbled a word.
Aemon laughed a wicked laugh, then turned away with his shoulders hunched over with calm rage. "Do not think for a moment I am going to ever spare you for that, Lucius Marcellus."
Lucius sneered at him, "Get over with it"—he spat blood on the ground—"No children of Mediopolis will ever serve your tyranny god, not even my household."
"You think so?" —Aemon smiled puckishly- "Pluto has shown us the light, a life without the rule of the Dii-consentes, a life of free will and freedom of mind, and you have denied that to yourselves!"
"Does that matter," -Lucius replied- "because wars are a never-ending phenomenon."
Aemon took a deep breath, crossing his hands on his back.
"You know what Lucius; it's vain talking to you, you probably don't want to hear from me and me neither, perhaps there is someone you might want to hear from." He smirked leaving his face.
Aemon's last sentence caught him up in curiosity, what did he say?! He thought to himself.
"Who might that be?" Lucius asked.
Aemon answered, "The one person who loves you more than anything else in the world."
With that statement, he walked out of view, leaving Lucius behind.
After a few moments of wrangling with his curiosity, Lucius heard a crunching sound like a footstep from behind him, he spun around and saw a man under a hood. He wore a green tunic that had the sleeves cut off and a black sash hanging from his waist, his physique was recognized by Lucius, The man unveils himself, His short dark hair fell hanging below his ears and he had blue eyes and a scar across the bridge of his nose.
"Naevus!" Lucius could only mutter as his lips struggles to speak.
"It's good to see you too, Lucius," Naevus answered with a faint evil smile.
Lucius shook his head as he breathed heavily, letting out waves of sighs from his shivering lips.
"What…what are you doing here, with these people?" he mumbled distressed, gazing at his only brother.
"Betraying your brother," Naevus scoffed and smirk, "I mean I've been doing that for a while now."
"But…but why?" Lucius' voice broke.
"Because…" —Naevus takes a step closer- "My dear Brother, I am afraid the decision to betray you is not mine to make, you were always a very selfish and ambitious man, I didn't even expect you'd try to sacrifice your whole kingdom for your stubborn wits." — he gestured his arms wide.
"I know you never liked me from the start, but I never expect it to be this extent where you have to go against your people," Lucius said, whimpering at his brother.
Naevus cackles, "Oh, you think I'm just some petty little man? This war isn't just between you and me any more… It is about the entire kingdom, the entire country, and all those who would oppose the Plutonian rule."
There was a brief silence between the two, and even Aemon and his men who were watching.
"Tell me, brother…where have I wronged you?" Lucius asked, his soul broke in agony, tears begin to stream down his face, and his heart felt as though someone ripped it apart with their bare hands.
Naevus glared at him with disgust, "You are so pathetic!" —he flung his leg on his face and began to send punches at him- "you think I care?!…you've never cared about me!…you treated me like your subject or more like a commoner!!…you locked me in the dungeon for six months."
"Sto… I'm bleeding." Lucius tries to utter a word amidst the punches raining on him.
"All you did was lie here and there, and I thought 'I've got him now!' but instead, the moment I stepped out of that cell, everyone turned against me, even my own family" Naevus gripped Lucius by his neck as he begins to feel his blood trickle down his throat. "They turned on me."
Lucius began to choke as he felt his soul leaving his body. Aemon's men began to unsheathe their swords, but He stretched his hands as he signals them to remain still and glares with interest at Naevus killing his brother.
"Don't look at me, it's my fault." Naevus continued as he tightens his grip on Lucius' neck.
He took his sword and pressed it against Lucius' stomach, Lucius let out a pained whimper and struggled to breathe. He couldn't believe what just happened, he slowly looked at the blade buried inside him, how could his brother betray him, how could his family turn on him? Was this truly betrayal?
With every second of struggling, his grip around Lucius became tighter, he could almost feel his ribcage snapping from lack of oxygen. Blood slowly trickles from his mouth.
"Now do you understand?" Naevus asks as he presses harder and harder, causing pain to flow throughout Lucius' entire body, he felt blood pouring out of him like a fountain. He felt a warm sensation fill his body, his lungs expanded in relief as fresh air rushed into his lungs. The grip around his neck loosened as he dropped onto his knees and then to his back. He coughed and sputtered as his consciousness begins to grow dimmer.
He tried to lift his head only to realize his head felt numb and heavy, all he could see was a bright red circle floating above his body. He began to lose consciousness.
"You really think I'm just some petty little man." That statement repeated itself within his skull like a broken record player repeating the same phrase over and over until everything faded to black.
***
"Where are done here," Aemon uttered, he walked right at Naevus and pats his shoulder twice.
"Very well Naevus, Donna is marching south with an army. Gather yourself up and prepare for the next phase."
A horse whinnied as it galloped down a hill from a distance, drawing their attention.
"Someone has been watching us," Naevus
whispered, glancing at the hill as the horse galloped out of sight.
"A runaway, perhaps, you will be meeting him soon enough" -Aemon replied, he turned and looked proudly at the betrayer- "Are you sure you're ready for this?" He asked.
Naevus nodded. "Yes, I am. I must prove myself."
"Very well."