Aulus hurriedly led the two old friends through a gloomy labyrinth of rocks and darkness. The noise of the battle in the distance gradually became quieter and after a while stopped completely. Nero said in a lowered voice: "We're running out of time. Our men probably won't be able to withstand the superior numbers for long and we've got to find a way the hell out of here. As long as we live, there's hope for Rome" "We'll soon be at the place we discovered during our reconnaissance. There is an underground river that may lead us to freedom. This cave is a veritable labyrinth and should at least slow down any pursuers," replied the scholar. A short time later, the fugitives could already hear the soft murmur of the river and quickly found it with the help of the map. Over the course of thousands of years, the underground water had eaten a path through the rock, which now promised salvation for Ceasar and his companions. The men hurried along the river, which seemed to stretch endlessly through the underground of Rome. As time passed, the air grew warmer and breathing more labored, as if the weight of the earth itself was crushing them. Just as the exhausted emperor was about to ask for a short rest, the last oil lamp went out with a soft hiss in Nero's hand.
"Shit!" Legatus shouted angrily into the darkness, "we didn't have enough time to get another lantern in all the chaos. We have to continue in the dark. Feel your way slowly along the wall and try not to slip." Step by step, the small group moved forward until suddenly a shrill scream followed closely by a loud splash sounded behind Ceasar. "Aulus?" the hunted emperor asked into the yawning emptiness. The only answer was a gurgle, which disappeared in the direction of the river current after a few seconds. "There's no time to lose." Decimus said in a mournful tone and continued on his way through the cave. After what felt like an eternity, Ceasar thought his head was playing tricks on him when a faint glow broke through the darkness in front of him. "Do you see that?" he whispered in the direction of his old friend. "There's definitely a light up ahead." "You're right," Nero replied, his voice trembling with relief, "maybe we'll get out of here alive after all." As if he had put his luck to the test, a second light appeared. This time, however, it was behind the two of them, and it quickly became brighter. "Quickly! We have to get out of here before they catch up with us." The light was joined by louder voices, one of which Ceasar would have recognized anywhere. Pompeius. Driven by a mixture of anger and fear, the hunted men reached a passage that, to their frustration, did not lead to the surface. The air had become unbearably hot and sweat was dripping down the emperor's body. Confused, the men ran through the tunnel and came to a sudden halt. In front of them, the passage opened up into a huge vault, which was filled with a golden glow, where the river had merged into a lake that made up a large part of the cave. An unnatural-looking source of light could be seen in the middle of the lake, bathing the entire cave in a mythical light. However, there were no other exits to be found anywhere.
A glance at Nero told Ceasar that they had come to the same conclusion: This is the end. "It has been an honor to have served you, my friend." Nero said and bowed to his emperor. He then stood up again and drew his gladius with a determined look. "I will not give in without a fight." "We have come this far. We can't throw our lives away now! Come with me. This light has to come from somewhere," Julius Ceasar called out to the resigned Legatus. Then, following his intuition, he jumped into the suprisingly hot lake and began to swim. A feeling of determination and confidence suddenly flowed through the man's body. The glow seemed to react to him and had an incredibly attractive effect on Ceasar. As if the light was calling to him. As he swam, he heard the voices of their pursuers echoing through the cave. "Look at the great usurper! Drowning himself instead of facing his enemies." Glancing over his shoulder, he saw a group of around thirty men led by his arch-rival Pompeius standing on the shore of the lake. Next to him stood one of the palace architects with a map in his hand and a knife at his throat. So that's how they were able to track us down so quickly, thought Ceasar.
Nero was swimming next to him, surrounded by a strange golden glow and strange black patterns. Unfamiliar symbols and runes spread across the face and arms of his comrade-in-arms. A glance at his hand revealed that he himself was also shimmering, although the patterns had a golden hue and other shapes. At the same time, he realized how more and more power was flooding his body. Filled with an uncanny strength, Ceasar reached the middle of the lake in just a few strokes and thus also the source of the light. Black and golden lightning shot around him and Nero across the water and through the air. "What in the name of the gods is happening here Gaius?" asked the equally surprised Nero. "I don't know, but it feels good! That below us looks like the source of this fantastic energy!" Ceasar exclaimed, pointing below them to the bottom of the lake. A few meters below the surface of the water, he could see a shining lump of ore that seemed to be connected to him by fine lines. "I think this could be our last hope, old friend! This thing is calling to me! I can literally feel the power." One last glance towards the shore told Ceasar that their pursuers were frantically pointing at them and beginning to take off their armor. They had also noticed that something was going on here, something supernatural. A feeling told the emperor that they would be too late. Full of anticipation, he dived down and swam to the bottom of the lake with superhuman speed and strength. Every step he took towards the ore made his heart beat faster and filled his entire existence with indescribable bliss and power. The emperor of the Roman Empire, Gaius Iulius Ceasar, stretched out his hand and created a new world.