『— Year 326 』
I'm... Most certainly out of luck. Sighing to the wind as I felt terrible, impotent by my current state.
Out of money, in rugged and dirty robes, on a filthy boat. Oh, why did I take this boat? This happens to me for getting the cheapest fare.
I looked at the sky, calming myself. The dusk painted the sky of an orangeish color, along with the clouds.
A really calming scenery, I thought to myself. At this pace we may reach the destination just at night.
❝Another poor soul searching for a life in New Rome?❞ Someone asked me.
Really? Right now? The trip is about to end.
❝You can phrase it like that... Yes❞ I didn't even want to see him.
❝Very bold, aren't we?❞ Was his response.
I continued looking at the sky, ignoring him.
❝Don't be like that, I heard that the senate is very angry with Constantine, they don't want to swap the capital❞ I could hear how the wood crackled as he sat at my side.
❝So? It's not like their opinion ever mattered❞ That slipped out of my tongue, shit. Now I've entered the conversation.
❝Maybe not in the past, Constantine killed Lucinius and his son, rendering himself officially sole emperor and, you know? The East is still resentful of the liberation of Christians❞.
I sighed, lightly annoyed by his insistence. But whatever, I guess this might pass time faster. ❝If you think they're going to do anything, you're wrong. The senate is a bunch of obese idiots, on the other hand... Lucinius initiated a civil war just because of the liberation of a minor religion, absurd❞.
❝I'm impressed, if you know this much you must be literate, what is someone like you doing here?❞.
I laughed at the irony, and decided to take a look at him, lowering my head.
An old man, silver hair, caramel eyes and a big nose, his clothes are just plain, dirty robes.
❝The same I could say, exactly the same❞ I told him as soon as I got my first impression.
He laughed bitterly ❝I'm just an old man who lost everything on the civil war❞.
I raised an eyebrow, completely confused ❝What!? How so?❞.
Now, he looked at the sky, reminiscent ❝Let's just say I supported Lucinius and bet everything on him❞.
I laughed out loud, with tears in my eyes ❝Old man... I don't care what type of bet it was, but now I understand why you want so bad Constantine's misfortune❞.
He sighed with a bitter smile ❝Either way, it seems like the gods favor that blasphemous prick❞.
I returned my eyes to contemplate the sky ❝Blasphemous? Maybe, prick? Not so sure, never seen him❞.
❝I wonder, do you support Constantine? I'm not sure by your words❞.
I laughed immediately after I heard that, damn. He really is obsessed with this ❝Couldn't care less who the emperor is, as long as he does a decent job and doesn't ruin the empire❞.
He chuckled ❝If only that was most of them, those emperors are the minority❞.
Hmmm... very interesting... ❝Curious, just now you seem to strive for that, yet, you betted everything against one of the best emperors we've been granted❞.
He raised his hands and sighed ❝Just what can i say? I detest that much christians❞.
❝I can see that much❞.
Before he could respond, the captain of the ship announced ❝Behold, Nova Roma!❞.
Finally! I rushed my eyes to scan my surroundings. We were about 300 pes from the port (~97 yards, 89 meters).
Just about that much before the start of my new life, I can already feel every fiber of my body striving to leave this ship.
The walls were blocking my sight, however, I could be sure it would look at least as good as Rome... I expect.
❝It seems, we part ways now❞ He said as he stood up, after which he shook his robes.
I lifted my right hand and waved it ❝Hope I never see you again❞.
He chuckled as he grew farther away from me.
I sighed, leaning myself on the walls of the ship. Soon I would need to worry about my next steps.
But not for now...
Suddenly, the light of dusk disappeared, clouds covered the sky in a matter of seconds.
I was able to feel a pulse go through my body, something that I can't describe, as it was incorporeal, but it seemed to shake my soul to the core.
What..? I panicked at this development, it didn't make sense at all.
I stood up as soon as I could, the scenery was absurd to say the least.
Above Constantinople, an obscenely large tower manifested, floating in the air. It was so big I just couldn't see an end...
Dark clouds revolved around the tower, the sheer sense of despair I felt at just seeing it was... Discouraging.
Soon afterwards I felt a distortion on my mind, nothing happened, yet I felt as if an aggressive wave crossed my body destroying and reconstructing it in that same instant.
No... Maybe that's not correct, it was like if the space fell apart and reconstructed, I could feel my body grow farther from itself on countless directions for an instant.
An earthquake shook violently the ground, the waters trembled at the utter disregard for the integrity of earth.
❝The gods have descended to lay judgement on this blasphemous city!❞ Shouted the old man with amusement.
As the other people jumped out of the ship in fear, he prayed to Jupiter and Neptune on the front of the ship.
"Jupiter, I beg of you, strike the blasphemous with your divine rage, and Neptune, engulf them in your waters, for them to never see the light again".
I laughed at his absurd and abject expectations before jumping out of the ship too.
We all swam to the port, since it was the closest ground to step on.
The earthquake didn't stop, as a matter of fact. It grew stronger and stronger, soon the waves consumed the ship and lightnings struck the ocean.
Look who's the blasphemous...
Screams in the city were unnoticeable from the nauseatingly loud creaks from the earth, and the explosions in the sky.
The ripples on the space were becoming so annoying, my head began hurting incredibly so.
Soon after, the ground shattered, the earth was so violently damaged that it couldn't hold its structure.
Aaaaand fucking rain, yep. The end of the world...
At this point I wasn't sure if there was any escape... Nor could I even think about one, I was so overwhelmed.
Why? Why? Why? Why? I started panicking as the other people, it wasn't safe in the ground, water or sky.
I looked at the captain, one of the toughest guys I've ever met. His face was swarmed with sorrow and despair.
In a desperate attempt, he jumped into the ocean, being immediately crushed by the strong turbulence. I'm fucked.
The end of my new life before even the start... Ah, I wish I stayed in Rome. At least I could die drinking wine, with some women at my side.
The lacerations on the ground rapidly grew bigger, tearing apart the walls.
Well, at least I could see New Rome. Even if it's absolutely destroyed, I laughed bitterly at my state.
The disruptions became so powerful I felt reality starting to melt. I can't describe it any other way, it's so overwhelming that it feels like it overrides my existente with something else for a couple of seconds.
Is this the power of the gods? Maybe that old man wasn't wrong...
As the cracks on the ground approached the port, I closed my eyes, accepting my destiny.
If I fell to the ocean or to the hades, it doesn't really matter, the thunders fell again, striking in the direction of the city, at least I heard them in that direction.
But, nothing happened after that. When I opened my eyes, the tower had disappeared, and the ripples on reality stopped.
Even though we were saved by pure luck, no one celebrated, a gloomy feeling permeated on everyone.
It seemed like we survived the tragedy, I even got my spirits worked up.
I was about to climb the ruins of the city... Was about. I backed off immediately, something was climbing out of the cracks in the surface.
No. Way. In. Hell.
I ran off to the ocean and swam as fast as I could, I couldn't see it very well, but it seemed like a disfigured bear.
Not taking a view back at me, I swam and swam, ignoring everything.
And as such, the swarming noises slowly faded away.
I don't know for how much time was I swimming, but night was well settled.
As I lost my drive, dizziness took my mind. I went to the shore and got out of the water.
Point blank, I was exhausted.
I stared at the darkness without much drive, ever since I left Rome, my life's been a spiral downwards.
No food, water, or even camping supplies. It's almost like I'm living on borrowed time.
Looking back to the water, I feel like maybe my luck isn't so bad, I wasn't attacked by anything on my way. If anything survived such turbulences... I remembered the gruesome image of the Captain being essentially blended into the water.
I reached the side of my belt, closing my hand as I tried to get grip on something, then I looked back at my belt.
"And no sword... I'm so lucky, just awesome" Completely surrendered, I just laid down on the sand, as my consciousness faded away.