1453: Revival of Byzantium

"Wer mit Ungeheuern kämpft, mag zusehn, dass er nicht dabei zum Ungeheuer wird. Und wenn du lange in einen Abgrund blickst, blickt der Abgrund auch in dich hinein."

"He who fights with monsters should look to it that he himself does not become a monster. And if you gaze long into an abyss, the abyss also gazes into you." 

-        Beyond Good and Evil, Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche

"…And please, be a better person in the future." 

The hundred plus Roman troopers kneeling on the ground broke into weeps, crying over the loss of their lucrative career in the army, crying over cutting away from their familiar way of life, and crying over the uncertain future when they go back to the civilian society. The villagers in the surrounding started getting affected by the atmosphere too as some of them who are way too kind and naïve started requesting the Caesar to pardon these soldiers, but Antonius remains unmoved. 

The commander of the Caesar's personnel guards Cerberus continued kneeling there with a face that looks as if he is already dead. He is still yet to believe that all of these is really happening to him, all of his past achievements, glory, years of serving the Caesar climbing the ranks from a regular footman ten years ago in Giovanni's mercenaries to the head of the guards after Yuri and Fjodor, is now taken away just because of this single mistake he made today. His feels like his dream, accompanied with his world, has been shattered by a single blow of the Caesar's cruel words. 

Apostolos was observing the whole situation from the side since the start with a black ring around his eyes but a still robust mind with numerous thoughts going through his head at each second. After seeing that the time to interfere is right, he approached the Caesar and pleaded. "Your Majesty, the effect has been reached, I bet that they shall not do this kind of things ever again. There is no need to continue this show any further, it is best to conclude this show as soon as possible." 

"You think that this is nothing but a show?" Antonius glared back at Apostolos with his eyes filled with disbelief, but he still bothered explaining to the old man. "No Apostolos, I am serious, I need to use this event tonight to re-etherise the discipline of the army, and I need to tell everyone in this force, in our government, in our state about our national spirit. We are not a state here to oppress people, we are here to liberate and benefit them. These people, they have made a mistake, then I shall make them pay for it to show to everyone that the army has not changed, the country has not changed, and I have not changed." 

Apostolos bowed to his fullest and stepped back after saying several words of thanks. 

Antonius turned back to the kneeling and weeping ex troopers. "You can go back to pack your personnel belongings now… Just leave your armour and blades here, I shall dispatch a few carts to escort you people back to your respective hometowns. Epirutian! My brothers and sisters! Now you can have your houses back, don't worry, I shall compensate your losses fully." 

After that, Antonius jumped down the wooden plank and walked towards the group of villagers to offer his compassion, asking for their losses and check whether any of them have been injured or not. But just as he is still engaged in conversation with the villagers, the man whom he just talked too from the town of Prosotsani, Drama, suddenly stood up still in tears, and roared towards the Caesar as he is filled with sorrow, shame and guilt. "Your Majesty! My king! My emperor! I am very sorry! I am very, very sorry! Pa! Ma! Here! I ! Come!"

Then, under the shocked eyes of everyone, the man roared even louder and charged towards a wooden pillar of the house that Antonius just stood on. By the time it is already way too late for someone nearby to stop him, he has reached his destination with his head aiming directly towards the pillar, and in an incredible speed his head came to a violent clash with the wooden pillar breaking his skull almost instantly. The pillar that seemed strong cracked under the immense impact of a man who does not want to live, with a fresh surge of blood painting the entire wooden structure a bright red in colour. The man's eyes are still wide open filled with capillaries as he came to a slow collapse leaning forward on the half broken pillar, leaving a trail of blood behind.

A thunderbolt came striking pass the sky shining up the spot, accompanied with a little rain.

The women watching in the crowd started shrieking at this horrifying sight, many, including the Caesar's personnel medic, started rushing to check the injuries of the fallen ex soldier and see whether they can resurrect this young man. Though it took only a while for them to proclaim that this man, has left the world forever.

No one expected such things to happen, not even the Caesar himself as he watched at a distance with his mouth gaping slightly still trying to process what is going on in his head. It is not that first time that he saw a fresh suicidal case happening before his eyes, but this time it happened on one of his men, under such a circumstance. Antonius sighed and left the crowd, going back to the place where he just stood, squatted down and observed the bloodless face of the soldier. His pupils are already going upwards with a decreased reflux of light, blood is still gushing out from his hair, his nostrils and mouth. Antonius knows that the worst has happened, this man is already dead; Not killed by the blade of the enemies, but by himself.

"What is his name?" The Caesar sighed and asked.

"His name is Prokopis, your majesty."

"Prokopis… I remember you now, do he has any family?"

"Yes, your majesty, he still has a sister left in his hometown…"

"How irresponsible of him, killing himself when he still has a sister to look after." Antonius frowned and complained at this man, but still closed the man's eyes with his hands. "Fetch her to Thessaloniki, she shall be granted a role and education in the palace…Tell her and the people in her hometown that her brother, Prokopis is a war hero who have courageously sacrificed himself… Pack all of his bounties and rewards of him together, and pass it to his sister… She is going to need it."

"Yes, your majesty." The guard hastily replied. "Then what should we do with him?"

Antonius thought for a while and answered in a grim tone. "He is an irresponsible man, but he is my man. Retain all of his ranks and honours, and burry him here on the spot."

"Yes, your majesty."

The guards went away, carrying the body of the deceased Prokopis away.

"Then what about this man, your majesty?" Apostolos asked, pointing towards the guard commander Cerberus still kneeling there staring blankly into the mud like he has just lost his souls.

"Keep him in the army." Antonius waved his hands impatiently and walked away. "We already have one man down here, there is no need to increase another one. But he shall not be the commander of the guards from now onwards! Make him a regular trooper! I want to see him as the first one to successfully climb onto the walls of Kastoria tomorrow!"

Cerberus is still kneeling there without making any response until Apostolos kicked him on his thigh swiftly totally unlike an old man, almost making the later fall onto the mud again. A line of hot tear flew down the cheeks of Cerberus as he kneeled again towards the Caesar repeating the words of thanks again and again, promising that he shall never disobey the Caesar's orders ever again in his life. Antonius though is already tired of all these events happening tonight, he impatiently waved his hands and dismissed the weeping man and went out of the village on foot.

Apostolos quickly followed up, but before he left he kicked the thigh of Cerberus for another time slightly with a smirk and spoke. "Congratulations, general, you have made it out this time, the Caesar is kind enough to give you a second chance."

Cerberus is still worried. "But I have lost my posting as the commander of the guards…"

"Can't you understand?" Apostolos sniffed and tapped Cerberus slightly on his forehead. "Have you not heard what he has said just now? He is anticipating seeing you as the first to make it onto the walls of Kastoria, which means that he has given you a second chance."

Cerberus bowed down his head again in awe and started pondering the deeper meanings of his liege's words just now, while Apostolos made no further communication with this man and started increasing his pace behind the Caesar.