Days passed as Julius and his retinue carried on their journey hom.
The forest around the camp settled into silence, save for the low crackling of the firepit and the rhythmic clatter of armor from the Praetorian sentries changing watch.
Julius sat alone beneath the canvas of his command tent, the Codex Solaris resting beside his cot, sealed in its blackwood case.
His eyes were heavy.
The miles, the weight of conquest, the pulse of expectation — all pressed on him like invisible chains. He leaned back in his field chair, closed his eyes for a breath.
Then another.
And then…
Nothing.
~
At first, Julius thought he was still dreaming of the road.
He stood once more amid the pines, mist swirling around his feet.
But the scent was wrong.
The air was too warm, too thick with perfume and distant incense.
And where the forest had once stood, there now rose palatial columns of white marble, flanked by braziers burning blue with sacred oils.
He recognized this place.
