-??? POV-
My passing was peaceful. Honestly, I wasn't sure what to expect when the time came. During my years in the hospital, I'd always assumed death would be agonizing. I braced myself for pain. But I simply drifted off in my sleep. One moment I was asleep; the next I was… gone. It reminded me of Sirius's line from Harry Potter, "Easier than falling asleep." And he was right; it was easier than falling. Maybe too easy.
I feel like I'm floating in a black abyss. I can't help but wonder what comes next. Would I go to heaven or hell? I certainly hope it's not the latter. While I wasn't perfect, I believe I tried to live a good life.
I waited in the dark for something. Something that would bring me to heaven or hell. Something that would take me out of this darkness. Frankly, I felt I would go mad if I stayed here any longer.
I started panicking within minutes. My heart raced, and I couldn't catch my breath. I felt like I wouldn't survive another moment here.
"Hello, is anyone here!" I screamed in panic. "I can't take it anymore!" But no matter how loud I yelled, nothing changed. No one was there to help me.
I realized that if I stayed in the dark any longer, I'd go crazy. Just as I thought I was about to lose it, a blinding light appeared. I had to avert my eyes, or I'd be staring into nothingness. After the light faded, I saw blue clouds filling the area.
Blue clouds suddenly filled the entire black expanse. I looked around, trying to figure out what was causing it. What I saw next made me freeze in terror. In the distance, I saw a red shadow. Normally, just seeing a figure like that in the darkness would terrify me, like anyone else.
What really sent a chill down my spine was recognizing the shadow. I'd only seen it a handful of times, but I could never forget that shape. It was the same crimson shadow Aoko Aozaki had seen when she used the fifth magic.
I could only stare in terror at the red shadow. I desperately hoped that if I stayed perfectly still, the shadow wouldn't notice me because my body had frozen. But it was all for nothing, as the shadow moved closer.
"I'm dead," I realized, accepting that escape was impossible. While I wasn't deeply versed in the Nasuverse, my limited knowledge suggested this shadow was a Counter-Guardian. Fleeing would be futile — a desperate attempt to outrun death itself. And I was no Wally West.
Even though the shadow was silent, I heard footsteps. With every step the shadow took, growing closer, my heart sank. I resigned myself to my fate. I braced for the end and closed my eyes… but nothing. Peeking, I saw the shadow standing right in front of me. My heart leaped into my throat, but despite that, nothing happened.
I stared curiously at the shadow, and it just stared back. "Um, I don't want to die, but what are you doing?" I asked it. The shadow remained menacing, and its actions confused me. To my surprise, the red shadow handed me a sheet of paper. Cautiously, I took it. "Thank you?" I said, confused, to the shadow.
Reading the sheet, I realized as a CYOA, just like the ones I'd used before. The layout was identical, but the crucial difference was that someone had already made all the choices. No matter what I did, I couldn't alter the selected skills or abilities. There was a particular drawback that made me deadpan. I would forget my choices. This felt pretty pointless. What was the use of giving me this sheet if I was just going to forget everything?
As I looked over the page, one part puzzled me. At the bottom, I noticed someone had selected a mission. This wouldn't be unusual, since the CYOA game had pre-made missions. However, this one was clearly a custom addition. The mission aim itself was simple: a single sentence, "Stop Rome." I read it aloud. It was short and direct. Stop Rome... what did that even mean? Stop Rome from doing what?
I searched for a signature to identify the CYOA's creator, but found nothing. This left me puzzled. Was I losing it, imagining the whole thing? I glanced at the shadow, about to ask it a question, when a wave of dizziness hit me. My thoughts blurred, and I stumbled. Kneeling, my head grew numb with each passing second until I collapsed. Before my eyes closed, I saw one last thing.
At the corner of the sheet, I saw a single name that made me go cold. In the most beautiful script I had ever seen, someone signed a single name.
Alaya.
"Oh, you bitch," I mumbled just before everything went black. Then, everything became a blur of images, like a rapid-fire history lesson. I saw historical moments flash before my eyes: times of human triumph and defeat, moments of rage and excess. It was a lesson in humanity itself, the good and the bad. Whatever Alaya was doing, I wasn't enjoying it. My head felt stuffed with information and skills I shouldn't even know. Power surged through me, making me feel stronger than I ever had before.
I could distinctly feel I had become something more than human. Two different essences filled my body as it slid into my soul. I immediately knew what these energies were; one was that of a dragon, and the other was divine. Both energies perfectly infused my body as if I had missing parts that were returned to me.
Before I could appreciate my newfound strength, all the knowledge that had entered me left; all I had left was a blank gap in my memory. I couldn't even form a protest before I lost consciousness.
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I slumped down, leaning against a hay bale, completely wiped. Sweat plastered my clothes after a grueling training session outdoors with my new family. Ever since emerging from the void, I'd been living this new life. I'd woken up as a small child, with no memory of my time in the void, save for one thing: a red shadow. That single encounter was all I needed to understand where I was.
I was in the Nasuverse; there would be no other world I could be that had that red shadow. As for when I was confused, I could tell I was in ancient Britain. That much was clear when I found out who my new family was.
My thoughts vanished as someone suddenly smacked me on the head. "Prasutagus, what was that for?!" I exclaimed, reeling from the blow.
"You doze off too much, Artor. If this were a battle, you would be dead," Prasutagus said sternly.
You see, my brother would have become Boudica's husband. Meeting Prasutagus initially surprised me. He looked so much like Cu Chulainn, at least initially. And to make things even stranger, I looked a lot like Setanta myself. The only actual difference was in the shape of my face and my pointed ears.
When I first saw my appearance and Prasutagus's, I immediately looked at my family. To my surprise, they claimed Cu Chulainn was their ancestor. To my knowledge, his only child was Connla. But Father had informed me that Cu Chulainn had a daughter. Her name was Bé Thuinne. After Cú Chulainn's death, she made her way to Cú Chulainn's grave.
For days, she wept and wailed before she forever left the land. Eventually, she would settle in Iceni, establishing its royal line to this day. At least that was the story I was told.
I was shocked beyond words. I did not know Cú had a daughter. However, given my knowledge of him, I should not have been surprised. After all, Fergus raised him, and I knew how that man operated. Discovering my lineage explained a few things, though. It accounted for the unnatural strength Prasutagus and I possessed, not to mention our incredible resilience.
My head bobbed as I smacked again. "Really, Artor, what did I say about getting distracted?" Prasutagus glared, and I returned his glare with one of my own.
"I'm sorry for thinking we are done, Prasutagus." I retorted. Both Prasutagus and I glared at each other before we smirked. Prasutagus reached out a hand, and I grabbed it.
"I am only harsh on you, Artor, because you're destined for greatness. You are already stronger than I was when I was your age." Prasutagus said, and my eyes softened.
"Thank you, brother. Are you ready to become King?" I asked him. Today is the day Prasutagus becomes the King of the Iceni Tribe. Prasutagus deserved it. Prasutagus did everything for our home, from hunting to politics.
Father planned to give the crown to Prasutagus. We needed to travel to the sacred grounds where the Gods were honored to crown him. I was surprised to discover that, in theory, anyone in the Iceni could earn the crown. Becoming a leader was surprisingly democratic. As long as someone proved their worth and abilities, they could lead. That's why Prasutagus worked so hard to gain everyone's respect. Interestingly, I learned this process involved the entire tribe, including both men and women.
I had to hold back my snort at that. How was it that a tribe hundreds of years ago was more progressive than some places in modern day?
To be honest, I was grateful I wouldn't have to worry about selection for King for many years. I'd seen all the work Prasutagus had put in, and I wasn't ready for that.
"King. I haven't given it much thought, to be honest," Prasutagus admitted. "Even though I've trained for this, I'm not sure how to feel. It's an honor, of course. Ruling everyone has always been my dream; I've done everything I can to win their approval. But being King means facing the Romans. We have an alliance, but for how long?" Prasutagus added.
The mere thought of Romans makes my heart sink. Though I haven't lived long in this life, its cruelty is something I know well. I learned they suppressed or erased anything non-Roman from our culture. Knowing Roman history gave me an idea of their ways, but experiencing it firsthand was a world of difference.
A prime example is the practice of Druidism. The Romans considered it barbaric, and in some ways, they were right. Human sacrifice was part of Druidism, and I, for one, would outlaw it if I were king. However, that wasn't the only reason they banned Druidism. Druids were also powerful political and spiritual figures, uniting many Celtic tribes.
I've heard tales of the Druids rising against Rome frequently. I recall Father sending away countless Druids, trying to enlist the Iceni and their people in their rebellion. Personally, I wanted nothing to do with Roman politics. I'd much rather travel. Exploring all of ancient Europe was far more appealing to me.
Prasutagus and I traveled throughout the Iceni Tribe. I couldn't help but smile at how together everything was. Neighbors who helped each other just to be kind, with no hidden motives. I waved at the people with a smile.
It didn't even take Prasutagus and me five minutes to reach home. The Iceni's royal residence was a massive roundhouse. While the typical homes of the Iceni were roundhouses, the ruler's house was about twice as large.
Father greeted us as soon as Prasutagus and I walked in. "Prasutagus, Artor, it's good to see you. You two should get changed; we're going to the ritual grounds," he said. Prasutagus and I nodded in agreement.
Father resembled Prasutagus and me, except in his physique. His hair was blue, and his eyes were red, just like me. As I dressed in my tunic, I overheard Father and Prasutagus talking. In a house with paper-thin walls, secrets were impossible to keep.
"Prasutagus, Emperor Claudius has sent an escort for your inauguration," Father said, and his words made me stop. Was that normal?
"Father, you can't possibly think they're doing this out of kindness," I said, nodding in agreement. "I've never known the Emperor to care about us barbarians. The Romans only ever interfered when they needed to pass a law, and even then, it was always something insignificant."
I could remember that Claudius led an invasion to conquer Britannia. It had been that way ever since I was two. Too young to remember anything, really.
"Keep an eye open, Prasutagus, I feel something is not right," Father said, and I nodded at that. I grabbed a small knife and tucked it into my tunic.
I made my way back into the main room, and there I could see my mother had just entered. Mother was a beautiful woman with blond hair and blue eyes. She looked like a typical British woman.
"Artor, you look wonderful." Mother said as she hugged me. I couldn't help but hug back. In my previous life, growing up without a mother made me starved for attention.
"Antedios, a Roman, just entered the Tribe. He is demanding that you meet him." Mother said to father with worry.
I saw Father's face darken. Even though the Iceni were allied with Rome, our people weren't shown any respect. It clearly bothered him, just as it bothered me. I watched him take a slow, calming breath.
"Lead the way, Niamh," Father ordered Prasutagus and me. I didn't like the sound of it, and I frowned. But he was the King, so I relented. I glanced at Prasutagus, and he was frowning too.
After Father and Mother left, Prasutagus and I were left alone with our thoughts. My hand became a fist. I couldn't understand why, but being so subservient to Rome filled me with rage. "I hate this, Prasutagus. We should be free, not under the Romans' oppression," I said, my voice tight with anger.
"Look, Artor," Prasutagus began, "I know it's hard, but we have to believe things will improve." I couldn't help but scoff. Prasutagus was naïve; Rome wouldn't budge. Before we could argue further, Father stormed in, Mother trailing him with a worried look.
"Father, what is wrong?" Prasutagus asked with worry. Father seemed to pace around, taking calming breaths.
"Prasutagus, you and Artor are to escort the Roman back to his camp," Father said. His words confused Prasutagus and me. Why would we need to do that?
"Why, Father?" I asked. Father seemed to struggle for his words for a moment.
Father said with his rage barely concealed, "According to the new Law Rome has just passed, Rome must give approval to all future tribal leaders to rule."
I could only stare at Prasutagus, realizing his earlier words are now become a lie. He looked mortified because he had proven him wrong rather quickly. "Come on, Artor, let's go. Don't want to keep the Roman waiting," Prasutagus said, pulling me along.
As Prasutagus pulled me along to meet the Romans, I could feel the fear radiating from everyone in the Tribe. Each terrified citizen we passed fueled my anger. When we finally reached the gates, a classic Roman confronted us: Cleanly dressed in a toga, but alarmingly thin—the physique of someone who'd never seen a day of training. Centurions and legionnaires, armed to the teeth, surrounded him. The Roman must have spotted us by the way his lips curled in disgust. I almost snapped right there, but I held my tongue.
"It took you long enough! Do you two have any idea how long I waited?" The Roman snapped at us, "To think that a member of the senate had to come to this disgusting home of yours."
I bit my tongue to hold my anger. With every word the Roman spoke, the angrier I grew. Prasutagus, sensing my anger, was quick to defuse the situation.
"My apologies, my lord. Let's head to your camp quickly; we wouldn't want to waste your time," Prasutagus said with a bow. The Roman Senator sniffed, a smile spreading across his face.
"Well, it seems you have some manners after all, you barbarians," the Senator remarked, then addressed his guards. "Let's go. The sooner we leave, the less time we have to spend with these…people."
My eye twitches at the insult. Prasutagus and I followed the Romans as we traveled across land, and I was nearly biting my tongue off. Because everything that came out of the Roman mouth was an insult. Ranging from the land to the culture.
"Don't even get me going on your people's views about women in leadership," the Senator stated, his voice laced with disapproval. "They have no place in charge. Why do you barbarians permit it? It's a disgrace." I bit back my response.
'Says the man who's most infamous Emperor will be a woman.' I thought contemptuously. It was ridiculous, he would say such a thing when his own Emperor was being led around by Agrippina the Younger.
We encountered no issues during our journey until noon. I was enduring the irritating chatter of the Roman. The Senator needed to rest his feet. While we were setting up camp, I realized how distant we were from Iceni. Ever since Prasutagus and I left, I'd had a bad feeling, which intensified the further we traveled. I exchanged a look with Prasutagus, and he gave a subtle nod.
Prasutagus and I sat apart from the Romans. "You can't honestly say you think everything's fine, Prasutagus?" I asked him softly. Prasutagus looked as though he wanted to object.
"No, you're right, Artor. I feel something is wrong, too." Prasutagus agreed with me. "Be on guard, Artor, and drink nothing they give you. You know how Romans are." He added.
I nodded my head in agreement, fully aware of how Romans loved poison. My ears twitched as I heard footsteps coming our way. I turned to see the Roman centurion approach us. Both Prasutagus and I tensed as he approached.
"Your Majesty, here is a drink." The centurion said as he offered Prasutagus an ale. Prasutagus grabbed the drink cautiously.
"I thank you, centurion. May I ask what for?" Prasutagus said, and he eyed the drink.
"Your Father spoke about how today you become King of the Iceni. I figured I should congratulate you. We may not spend much time together, but I can tell you would be a better king than our Emperor." The centurion said, his words causing Prasutagus and my eyes to widen in shock.
Criticizing Claudius was one thing, but doing it so near a Senator? That was a death sentence. I saw Prasutagus visibly relax a bit. I gave him a slight nudge, and he stiffened again.
The centurion smiled at my actions. "I understand how you two must feel, but you needn't worry. We wouldn't resort to poison," he paused, a sinister smile spreading across his face. "After all, you two will kill each other for us." With that, the centurion finished speaking and leaped back.
My eyes followed a glint of light on the ale Prasutagus was holding. "Prasutagus, no!" I shouted, but it was too late. A huge, crimson magic circle materialized between us.
"Hahaha, I can't believe you fell for that, you barbarians," the Roman Senator gloated. "Do you enjoy it? We captured the Druids you held in such high regard. For many nights, we tortured them, forcing them to create that spell. You should recognize it, after all; it comes from your own people." The Senator finished, a smirk playing on his lips.
I eyed the rune on the ground, but I couldn't recognize it. But Prasutagus did because his face immediately turned white.
"Ath nGabla!" Prasutagus gasped, and I paled at the sound of it. Even with my limited knowledge of runes, I recognized that specific spell.
"That's right; now, you two have to fight to the death." The Roman Senator said, I wanted to deny he was wrong, but I knew the Roman was right. As far as I knew, there was no way out of Ath nGabla.
"Prasutagus..." I said, but before I could get the word out, a fist connected with my face. I gasped, feeling my lip split instantly. Prasutagus tackled me, and I gasped again as we hit the ground. He grabbed my tunic and punched me again. Before I could react, he ripped my knife from my tunic.
"I'm so sorry, Artor," Prasutagus said with a heavy heart, raising my knife. Feeling utterly betrayed, I could only stare at him. I knew I was helpless; Prasutagus was far stronger than I was. Pinned to the ground, I realized there was nothing I could do.
I closed my eyes, waiting for death, but nothing happened. Instead, I felt something wet hit me. I opened my eyes, and what I saw shocked me. Prasutagus' mouth was full of blood as he stabbed himself.
"Why?" I asked, shocked. Prasutagus just chuckled as he hugged me.
"I couldn't kill my little brother. Artor, I told you, you're destined for greatness. Lord Lugh came to me in a dream. He spoke about how you would lead the Iceni to greatness. Lord Lugh said If I were to die this day, it would be up to me to choose." Prasutagus coughed out as more blood spilled onto me.
Tears streamed down my face as I could only embrace Prasutagus. "Don't worry about me, Artor. You'll be alright; you're just like our ancestor, Cú Chulainn. A child of Light. Just let it out," Prasutagus said, and then he fell. I held his body as Ath nGabla ended. I knew that with the spell broken, Prasutagus was gone.
"Well, that was disappointing. I was hoping to watch you two fight to the death." The Senator said with disapproval, "Men kill the child. Be quick with it; I've been without a bath for days."
The Roman soldiers slowly approached me, but I was too busy cradling Prasutagus.
"Prasutagus, please!" I begged frantically, shaking him, but I knew what was happening. "Prasutagus!" I yelled, tears welling in my eyes.
"Honestly, hurry and kill the boy. I must say, boy, your mother was quite beautiful. I can imagine she would be quite the slave," The Roman Senator said. When those words left his mouth, I remembered Prasutagus's last words.
"Just let it out." Prasutagus's words echoed in my ears, then my vision turned red.
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-Roman Senator POV-
"Prasutagus, Prasutagus, Prasutagus!" The child crowd, honestly, what a dramatic child. I must thank Lady Agrippina for the excellent idea.
By causing the deaths of the two heirs of those barbarians. Rome could slowly raise tensions within its Tribe. Even if those barbarians knew of our involvement, we could easily crush them.
The empire was highly interested in the ore found in this land. Rome was slowly taking over the region, though some areas still resisted. As luck would have it, the barbarians' land was one of the remaining holdouts.
I rolled my eyes at the child's cries. "Honestly, hurry and kill the boy. I must say, boy, your mother was quite beautiful. I can imagine she would be quite the slave," I said, annoyed. Maybe I could buy the mother myself; she was quite beautiful.
I turned my head, confused, not having heard the boy shout in pain. My eyes widen in panic as I see the massive amount of magic surrounding the boy. I was not a mage, but even I could feel the sheer pressure.
"KILL HIM NOW!" I screamed in terror, and before my men could swing their swords, they blasted away a pillar of purple light.
I could only watch in terror as the boy's limbs, and body stretched. What was previously a boy was now a massive Dragon.
"RUN!" I screamed as I ran in terror. Behind my men followed, but the dragon stomped its feet. Suddenly, the land shifted as the ground rose, creating walls. It was as if the land obeyed the dragon.
I felt a sudden pain, and I looked down to see a tail piercing my body. Oh… I felt two massive hands grab my head before everything went dark.
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- 3rd Person POV-
The land of Britannia trembles. All around, everywhere, trees shake, mountains tremble as a dragon raged about. Such actions would not be possible without a single reason. The corpse of The Dragon Albion resonated with the young dragon's rage. For days, the land shook and shifted.
The people of Britannia tremble in fear, recalling the stories of dragons. Except for the King and Queen of the Iceni. They trembled for their sons.
The land shook for the entire week before it stopped at the epicenter, as a young child was unconscious. All was silent before a blue portal opened. Out came a hand of red shadow that dropped a simple bag next to the boy before the portal closed.
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-??? POV -
"Mother, come, hurry, we're almost there," I said excitedly, as we finally reached Iceni. I was so excited to reach Iceni. We would have been there sooner, but the land of Britannia had suddenly become enraged.
I was so scared by the roars that no one could hear anything else. Mother had told me it was an angry dragon. But to me, it sounded sad.
Off in the distance, I could see broken trees everywhere. I was sad to see Britannia so hurt. It hurt my heart to see such ruin in the land.
As my mother and I traveled, we saw so much destroyed land. The closer we got to Iceni, the more the destruction of the land increased. The more I saw gone, the sadder I felt.
When my mother and I reached the plains that led to Iceni. There was such an enormous hole; it was so massive! I rushed towards the hole, curious. As I ran, I ignored my mother's call.
I was amazed at how deep the hole was when I got to it. I looked into it and let out a gasp. "Mother! There's a boy down there!" I carefully ran down to the boy.
I ran as fast as I could to reach the bottom of the hole. When I got to the boy, he looked like my age. He had blue hair. He looked familiar.
I gently roused the boy, and his eyes fluttered open. His eyes appeared to be the color of rubies. I was spellbound until the boy spoke.
"Who are you?" The boy asked.
I didn't know what happened to this, so I put on my best smile. "Hello, my name is Boudica. It's wonderful to meet you!" I said while smiling brightly.
The boy's eyes dilated, and then he lost consciousness. I might have gone too far.
"Boudica, come back here!" Mother said, before her eyes widened, seeing the boy on the ground.
"Boudica, help me bring to the Iceni!" Mother said urgently. I could hear her mother panicking. But why?
"Mother, who is he?" I asked curiously, but my mother made a face that I couldn't understand.
"Boudica, this is Prince Artor of the Iceni," Mother said, and I widened my eyes in shock.
"Oh.." I mumbled. My gaze fell on Artor, and I wondered why he was alone. I felt like something was different now. I could tell my life would change, though I didn't know how.
Prologue: Ties That Bind
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Author's Note: This is my new story that takes place in Ancient Britannia. About 20 years before Boudica's revolt. I needed to take a break from writing Greek Hero King. So I found this story in my files that I had written the idea already back when I first started writing. I brought this story to life. Don't worry about Greek Hero King. I will have a chapter up soon.
I appreciate the comments. Thank you for the support. Let me know if your interested in this story because if so I don't mind alternating between this and Greek Hero King.