As the dust clouds swirled and danced with the wind, he glimpsed at an imposing silhouette; a frame that loomed like a colossal titan, standing at an astounding eight feet tall and two men wide. From what he could discern, this behemoth was garbed in linothorax armor, while holding a monstrous iron sword in its right hand. He could feel its murderous gaze on him, making it difficult to even breathe. This was the fearsome figure he had envisioned, although with a presence that far exceeded his expectations.
But even though terror had gripped his heart and his instincts were urging him to flee, he knew it was no longer an option. Not anymore.
One step at a time, he advanced while feeling his joints creek louder and louder as he inched ever so closer to his objective. He also opted to lower his head in a bid to avoid the deadly stare and progress faster, only for him to lose the perception of time, causing each step to feel like an eternity…
Had it been seconds? Minutes? Hours?
Sweat profusely dripped from his forehead and chin, with the previously light shaking now frantic. His body was clearly overexerting itself, and it was no exaggeration to say that the distance between them had become a hellish path. But just as he was about to look forward again, he felt his head hit a wall. No… Was it… linen? He painstakingly lifted his chin, only to realize that he had finally arrived at the feet of Alexander himself, and when he met his eyes, he felt his chest tighten and his breath, disappear.
Darkness, bloodlust…
His legs instantly buckled before he hopelessly met what had become dirt ridden land. The figure facing him was the embodiment of fear, a true apex predator. He felt as if death's cold embrace was now calling his name.
Was this the end? Would he really perish at the hands of his own creation?
He could feel his body beginning to shut down, even though his instincts had tried to warn him countless times. This was the obvious result, the one where he had reached his utmost limits.
But had he really…? No… He couldn't have. He couldn't give up. Not here. If he fell now, how would he face his family, his friends? After all, they were the ones who had truly suffered for his mistakes… This surge of grief engulfed him in sorrow. Had he always been so pathetic? Had his resolve always been so brittle? Was his earlier resolution so… weak?
"Fuck…"
His hands were clenched into tight fists, yet his body was too exhausted to shed even the smallest of tears. This was only the first obstacle, one of many that were sure to come in the future, and yet how… How was he already struggling so hard!?
Anger violently rose within him, making him grit his teeth before letting out a yell of ire and pain. He hadn't gone through it all just to fail so miserably! With newfound resolve, he harnessed the very essence of his being as he bent every cell to his will, and though it felt like he was being shattered into a thousand pieces, he persevered, forging ahead through the unbearable agony.
"Oh?"
A grave, low voice suddenly reached his ears, making him raise his chin again, only to realize that it belonged to none other than Alexander himself. But on his face was now a smile, a smile that further enraged the engineer. Was he really being mocked?!
With renewed fury and adrenaline rushing through his veins, he further pushed himself to stand, slowly rising inches at a time. His heart pounded a frantic symphony in his chest and bordered on the precipice of collapse, but he was beyond caring. He could not… No, would not, yield an inch. While summoning the very last of his strength, he managed to lock eyes with the General, whose grin widened considerably in response, seemingly intrigued by his fervent determination.
"Hahahahaha! This is what I like to see!"
He spoke an old Greek dialect, but Lloyd had no trouble understanding him due to the system's handiwork. However, the pressure exerted by the ancient warrior still made it very hard to breathe, let alone speak.
"I… I am your… Ruler. My name's… Christopher. Swear allegiance… to me."
His demand was concise, almost terse, but it still left him on the edge of unconsciousness. Even with all the adrenaline, he remained at his wits' end. But after hearing his request, Alexander's expression shifted from one of amused curiosity to a severe focus, one so hostile it sent an extra frisson of fear through the engineer's body.
"You didn't waste any time, but it's not surprising when seeing your state. I'll bite. Who are you and why should I follow you? Where are we even? I remember where I died, and it certainly wasn't here."
The General obviously liked his attitude, but he appeared, by all accounts, to be an insignificant commoner. He was small, lacked muscle mass and didn't seem to know how to fight. The scientist's looks were his only redeeming feature, with his sharp traits and blue eyes giving his gaze a surprising depth. His dark brown hair, cut short, looked surprisingly good as well. Lloyd's attire was also something he had never seen before, which he found odd considering his regal past.
"I… don't have… time to explain. Just know… that… your former… glory can… be restored. If you want… to… know more, ease… the… pressure."
Even though Christopher's stare had not diminished in intensity, Alexander's face softened, his curiosity piqued.
"Glory? Why would I need it when I've already unified Macedonia?"
The scientist's confusion deepened. Unified…? And then, it suddenly hit him! Alexander had supposedly perished in 323 BC, meaning he wasn't aware of his Empire's demise at the hands of his political rivals the Diadochi which, after his death, had begun 40 years of warfare against one another to divide the territories. This was the opportunity he had been waiting for!
"Macedonia? What's… that?"
But before he could elaborate further, he once again fell to the ground as everything slowly faded into a dark, cold void…