Hispania, Rebel Headquarters
Zenobia POV
BOOM.
After taking an explosion to the face, a pillar of death fell on top of Spartacus. The ground and air shook as the wrath of Mars slammed into the berserker.
After a brief moment passed, the pillar of light flickered and shrunk into a thin beam that resembled a string of spider silk, one that connected the earth and the sky. And much like spider silk, the light beam snapped into pieces before it vanished into the wind.
She stared at the holographic image of what remained of Spartacus's heroic sacrifice with a frown. The armrests on her throne creaked as her fingernails dug into the metal.
Altera and Boudica were captives of Rome, Spartacus had been killed and reduced to ashes in a crater, and a significant portion of her army had all been burned, melted, or devoured by beasts. She was absolutely livid, but not at her allies who fought bravely against the Roman Empire, they were not at fault for this mess.
Her eyes drifted towards Lev, and it took nearly every bit of willpower she had to not unleash her noble phantasm and rain death upon him.
He used Altera, her sweet little Altera who she deeply cherished and gifted snacks to, as a suicide bomber!!
She understood that they couldn't allow Rome to turn her against them, but Lev could have easily resolved that issue had he bothered to recall Altera and Boudica back before that red heroic spirit severed her connection to Lev, but he never bothered to do it.
Thankfully, Spartacus stepped in and took the blow, but they still lost a valuable ally. To make matters worse, that single act could have likely changed Boudica and Altera's mind about joining up with Rome. She didn't think Boudica would do it, but the possibility now exists where it otherwise wouldn't.
And what was Lev's reaction to his catastrophic failure to deny Rome the ability to use Altera against them?
Annoyance.
"Cheh, that damn Spartacus. I didn't know he had a brain left inside that skull of his." Lev spat, which just proved her point that this man, for as powerful as he was, was rather short sighted. She honestly wished she could have seen it sooner, but there was nothing she could do.
As much as she hates to admit it, she was weaker than him. So long as he has the holy grail in his possession, she cannot challenge him. Talking back to him the last time only earned his scrutiny, so she could not openly defy him. She could, but that would just lead the monster making true to his word and turning her into a prisoner forced to watch as he annihilated her empire by his foul hands.
Still, that didn't mean she would go easy on him if she can get away with it, like right now.
She did her best to keep her face neutral as she spoke, "it was a rather bold move of yours to actively oppress someone in front of Spartacus."
From her left, Cleo let out a scoff, "bold? Idiotic is a more apt term for it. You oppressed a little girl in front of the one guy who has never been shy about showing his disdain of people he views as oppressors. "
Lev regarded Cleopatra the way a Roman would at anyone who they viewed as barbaric.
"You heroic spirits are a rather problematic sort. Though I suppose I should have known better than to assume a berserker would be capable of completing a simple task without a minder."
Cleopatra rolled her eyes at the false man making excuses for his short sightedness.
Before Cleo could say another insulting word that would lead her to certain death, she made a gesture for the pharaoh to stand down. Cleo, much to her relief, obliged… albeit reluctantly.
She turned her attention back to Lev, and decided to press him.
"So what now? Are you going to keep wasting our time and energy summoning more servants to try and kill them, or are you finally going to let me take the field?"
Lev hummed at her offer, then shrugged.
"Honestly, you have a point. I have already wasted too much of my precious attention preventing Chaldea from obtaining the great hero of destruction."
She grit her teeth as the man waved her off, "go. Those blasted Chaldeans already took my most powerful weapon away from me, so I might as well send my second most powerful weapon to humble them before they think they have a chance at winning against the inevitable."
She tried but failed to stop herself from sending a death glare at the man, "I am not your weapon Lev."
The bastard smirked at her declaration, "you keep telling yourself that."
A glint catches her eye, and her gaze immediately goes to the golden cup in Lev's hands. If only she could take that from his grasp… she could finally be rid of him and change history on her own terms.
"Now here's your reward for being on your best behaviour during your timeout." She didn't have time to feel outraged for being talked down to like she was a little girl when the massive rush of energy flooded into her veins.
This power... it was intoxicating. Since the time she had been summoned, her divine core had felt… detached. She could feel it inside of her, but it just never truly felt a part of her being, which is only natural given how it belonged to Stheno, not her.
That detachment lessened the longer she spent manifested in reality, but it was a gradual improvement. Using her upgraded Noble Phantasm, however, allowed her to significantly speed up the process.
Her normal noble phantasm, Authentic triumph, could only be called when she was fully convinced in her heart that she was an ideal Queen and that she could prove it by using her power against her enemies and attain victory. However, her Authentic Triumph only allowed her to dispel the defeat and disgrace that the Roman Emperor Aurelian forced on her.
With Divine Triumph, however, she was shattering the chains of her mortality and allowed her to ascend as a divine spirit that can continue to surpass herself, so long as she believes it. Even if she undoes the transformation, the strengthened connection with her core will always remain and can be built upon with each use.
This sudden influx of magical energy mimicked the feeling she felt when she unleashed her greatest divine transformation, but it did more.
She could feel her divine core react to the magical energy and swell to the brim with power. From the corner of her eyes, she could see purple start to crawl up her hair, erasing the last remnants of her original haircolor. It was more than just a hairdye, this color represented Stheno's influence on her servant vessel.
She could feel the tendrils of divinity attempt to corrupt her mind, but they found no purchase as her will was unshakable. The tendrils retreated, but she knew they had not given up. They could try as much as they want, but even if they morph her body into something else, she will and will always be Zenobia at her core.
'I am patient. '
By the time it was over, she felt more complete. Not perfect, not yet but far more than what she was prior to the surge of energy.
"There, that should do it. Now then, if you'll excuse me, I have some frustrations to vent so I will be off."
He turned and walked away, leaving her to stew in her own thoughts.
Cleopatra, on the other hand, could not hold onto her peace for another second longer and let out a loud groan, "urgh, that guy really pisses me off. Who does that ugly bastard think he is, treating two goddesses of beauty like they were his henchmen?! "
"A guy who has access to the holy grail and who can force his will upon any of us with a flex of his will" She responded, which caused the other woman to scrunch her face in disgust.
"I'm not letting that tacky suit and top hat wearing creep off the hook for hurting Altera and Boudica so easily. If I get the chance, I am going to use my noble phantasm as close as possible to him when the roman army shows up. Who knows, maybe he'll get burned up alongside that emperor Nero."
One could only hope, but she doubted that would happen.
Not wanting to think of Lev more than she wanted, her gaze shifted back to the screen, and her heart beat faster as the image of Ritsuka flashed onscreen.
A burning pulse of heat bloomed in her chest as she recalled the evenings she spent with him under the stars. The moments they spent together in the markets, and the dreams of his life that gave her peace every night.
'I miss our servant/master bond.'
She will admit, Chaldea have proven themselves to be a more formidable threat than she anticipated. They easily turned the favor of the war to Rome and have become a massive thorn on her side.
Boudica was right to call her a fool for not keeping Mash and Ritsuka close to her. She directed them as far away from Rome as possible because she was afraid they would switch loyalties and join Nero. And also, because she did not want them to be caught up in the possible emergence of a Beast of Humanity in Rome.
While she has grown more skeptical of Lev's word, the fact that Nero could awaken into a Beast came from Romulus himself during one of Lev's venting sessions, so she is more willing to trust it.
In any case, that move of hers had been in vain, as Chaldea had joined up with that self absorbed emperor anyway.
'I should have seduced him, that way he wouldn't have left me.'
No. She might have the captivating beauty of a goddess, but that did not mean that she would force him into loving her with a cheap trick.
'Yet, you still did. '
She didn't mean to! Many men praised her looks and it was only natural that, once she became a goddess, that it would become even more stunning than before.
She had Stheno's divine core, but her noble phantasm had superseded and prevented her from using the greek goddess's narcissistically named "Smile of Stheno," or at least, that is what she thought at first.
She had no idea that it still existed as a reduced, passive effect inside her until Boudica pulled her aside and told her that she had been inadvertently charming her own allies.
The disconnect between her and Stheno's divine core had prevented her from truly noticing anything was off.
'Excuses, excuses, just admit you want to dominate him and make him yours already!'
Now that her integration with Stheno's core is more stable, she cannot help but feel like an idiot when she looks back on the past interactions with everyone she has recruited into her army.
Especially Ritsuka and Mash.
'Yes, yes you are. '
She looked at the projection once more and saw the cute face of the young man she had grown fond of.
She had been spying on him from time to time during his campaign to retake Rome. His compassion for his fellow humans, servants, and even enemy servants, just made her like him more and more.
She would have loved to have made him into the head general of her army.
'No, I would have made him my king... '
... but fate had other plans for him. Ritsuka was aware of what she did and mistrusted her, and now they are on opposing ends of the battlefield.
The screen shifted to Nero, and her mood soured into vinegar when she beheld the blonde emperor in front of her.
'She doesn't deserve him. '
["Umu. He might have been an enemy general, but we owe the resurrected rebel our lives." Nero turned to Ritsuka and frowned.
"I greatly appreciate your help in Rome's crisis, but do not let my generosity and gratitude fool you into thinking you have a say in MY prisoner's fates. I am the Emperor of Rome, and I decide whether someone lives or dies. Refrain from overstepping your bounds again."
Ritsuka's expression fell, "sorry. I promise I won't do it again."
Nero nodded at his words, "Umu, well, there's not much we can do about it now. You gave your word to keep to spare them in exchange for not interfering, and I shall respect it. However, they shall not be spared being paraded in the streets of Rome when the time comes. "
Nero's face hardens into a frown, "and as much as I wish to have my glorious triumph happen on our return from this campaign, I do not feel comfortable doing so until this war has reached its conclusion. Which means my people will have to wait for my glorious Triumph until we take Zenobia and this Lev down.
Once they have been dealt with, I will personally strangle the false goddess before Jupiter. But for now, let us rest before we continue our march to reconquer Gaul! " ]
Metal groaned as her hands clenched the armrests of her throne with so much force, the metal bulged out of her hands like it was clay.
Her mind filtered out the cry of surprise and the concerned call from Cleo as memories of her being paraded in Rome played in her mind. The humiliation, the mockery, the jeers… she refused to become a part of that spectacle.
'Never again.'
She got up from her throne and allowed her divine energy to erupt from her body.
Power swelled within herself and she willed it forward.
Dozens upon dozens of human spirits manifested in front of her.
The sudden action caused Cleo to let out a gasp, but she ignored it as she pushed her newfound power to go beyond what it was intended to produce. When she was finished, she gazed at her army of wraiths in awe. Then she allowed a graceful chuckle to leave her luscious lips.
'So Nero wants a Triumph? We'll give her a triumph alright.'
"Zenobia... are you alright?" Cleo's words caused her chuckles to cease and she turned to her ancestor with a sweet smile.
"I am fine Cleo, I've never been better.... now go get your husband and assemble the troops,"
The sweet smile fermented into a rotten smirk that betrayed her beauty, "we're going to make an entrance."
✦✧✦
Narluc, Martha's House
Ritsuka POV
"Senpai, wake up. It's time for breakfast." a voice called out from the void.
His eyes opened and the world was a mess of blurry darkness.
He did his best to wipe the sand from his eyes, but his mind was still muddled when he sat up from his bed.
"In a moment Medusa…" his speech slurred a bit due to how groggy he felt, but the person he thought was Medusa did not seem to like being called by that name.
"Senpai, I am not Medusa."
The voice of denial from not-Medusa shook the last bit of grogginess from his mind. His eyesight sharpened in an instant, and he could now make out the concern etched on the lavender mop of hair that stood next to his bed.
Oh right, Mash, not Medusa.
[CaptainDrakeE4: Yikes kid, calling your girlfriend by another woman's name is a serious fuck up. Speaking from experience here, but you're in for a bad time.]
[Gallan-Tate: Rizzuka is not HIM when he's hungry, he should go get some breakfast and coffee.]
[Can't really blame him for calling Mash Medusa, their names both start with the letter M!! So confusing!! :p ]
"Sorry Mash, I didn't mean to… I was dreaming of Stheno again and the dream got cut off early."
He had dreamed of Stheno every night since he left Zenobia behind.
His dreams had shown him a lot of moments in the petite goddess's life, and while it was mostly just her 'chilling' on her island with her sisters, they were always extremely vivid.
[Heart0f6old: Oh wow, he's really off his game this morning. Don't admit you've been dreaming of other girls aside from Mash dude! ]
[Burning_Jealousy: Anchin.... why do you keep dreaming of that snobby hussy, why won't you dream of your beloved Kiyohime instead? (ㅠ︿ㅠ) ]
[I'mJustABill: I want to say it's because he doesn't want to dream of little girls... but Stheno is a little girl too so, he has no excuse.]
Thankfully, Mash didn't seem too upset by calling her someone else and just shook her head, "it's alright Senpai, servant dreams are intense, it's only to be expected. Now come on, the others are waiting." He heard the hard clacks from Mash's heels as she walked out of the room and closed the door shut behind her.
He sighed then got off his bed and dressed himself like he always did, which was mostly just putting his shoes on since taking off his mystic code was heavily discouraged by Chaldea's staff.
After getting dressed, he stepped out of the room and met up with Mash, who had been waiting patiently for him to finish getting ready.
They both walked down the corridor that led to the formal dining room, just as they had done many days since their arrival.
As he walked next to a window, he took a moment to glance outside. The sun had begun to peek over the horizon, which provided enough light for him to see the town abuzz with activity even at this early hour.
Despite the massive magical warfare that had occurred the past week, the town of Narluc had managed to escape mostly unscathed.
All the villagers had hunkered down inside the largest building in town and reported no fatalities. The Roman soldiers had done a fantastic job of keeping the unguarded areas safe during most of the assault.
Sure, Biscione's dragonfire helped immensely, but he had to hand it to the Romans, they were very good at keeping calm under highly explosive circumstances.
The few stragglers who slipped by Biscione and the Romans had been dispatched by the older Martha atop Tarasque. He still remembered the wide smile on the living Martha's face when she returned teh dragon to her servant self. She honestly looked like she had regained some of her youth during their team up.
Unfortunately, a lot of crops and farmland around the town were decimated, but it wasn't winter yet, so the people would not have to worry about starving, especially since Nero had already vowed to compensate their lost yields with an extra amount of grain that Simon was currently still helping secure.
Altera and Boudica were kept inside a cart designed to keep valuable war prisoners. True to their word, they did not rebel, and just spent their days just being with each other as mother and daughter.
He and Mash did their best to visit often, and he even gave Altera some math problems for her to solve so she wouldn't get bored.
As for them? Today was their last great day before they set off once more to the North.
They stepped inside the room and were met with the image of Nero at the center of what could generously be described as an improvised war room.
One of her hands was gesturing at a map laid on the table while the other held a flatbread stuffed with sardines. The emperor brought the ye olde fish sandwich to her mouth and ate it.
Nearby, Charlemagne and many human generals were nearby listening in rapt attention to the emperor as she spoke between bites.
His and Mash's sudden entrance caused many of them to look in their direction. The human generals did not seem to appreciate him very much, given how they looked at him with barely concealed disdain.
According to his servants, the human generals were prideful and could not accept that a non-Roman outsider had been granted the prestigious title of 'praetor' so easily. They also could not accept the fact that their empire's continued survival was due entirely to Chaldea's intervention.
They would not speak their voices out loud as the decision to make him praetor was made by their emperor's word, but fear of the emperor was not enough to quench their dislike of him.
[MalasadaMayhem: I still can't believe these assholes still don't like Ritsuka and Mash, even after everything they did!! ]
[HeavelyDivinePearl: THEY HAVE EYES, BUT THEY CANNOT SEE MT TAI!]
[GARcher: It's only to be expected. They are ambitious humans after all, it's best just to ignore them and focus on what is important. ]
He ignored their looks and just walked over to his seat.
His approach had caught Nero's attention, and she regarded him warmly.
They exchanged morning greetings before he and Mash sat down to eat.
He dug through his pockets and took out his recommended breakfast rations. As per Roman tradition, breakfast was meant to be light, nothing at all like his usual hardy breakfast options. He had some moomoo milk cheese, some grain bread, and porridge with fruits. Nothing too fancy, just the kind of meal that wouldn't look too out of place with the current company.
[PerfectlySaneHex: It's simple, but it looks good. Especially that porridge. ]
[Looks kind of sad for a breakfast tbh. ]
[SurgeOfLightning: Nonsense!! It is the breakfast of champions. Perfect for renewing energy without feeling like an overfilled dumptruck by lunch. ]
[GARcher: When in Rome, you do as the Romans do.]
He listened to the war plans as he ate.
They had all been planning their next steps for days now, and finally, everyone had come to an agreement. Today was just going over the finer details of the route.
First, they would leave Narluc and would head towards Mons Iura, around the same area that will one day be the Jura Forest, to tap into the massive leyline there and resupply some provisions from Chaldea for the campaign.
The goal would be to recapture towns, settlements, and villages one by one. Then once they had Gaul under their control, they would take a break at the Gallicum Fretum, or the Gallic strait. The narrowest water passage between Gaul and Brittania.
They would then have some small ships built so they could cross into Brittania to bring them to heel.
Finally, they would return to Rome for another break before marching and taking Hispania.
Once all those territories have been retaken, then and only then will they amass a massive army and march towards the Palmyran Empire to crush the rebellion once and for all.
Listening to the entire plan made him grimace, as the army would be marching across the entire continent on foot. The roman army marched, horses were limited and that meant they had to travel to match the soldier's marching speed.
'That's going to be a massive slog. ' He mentally complained, but there was not really much he could say against it. He had to be a part of this campaign for the sake of humanity, whether he liked it or not.
Nero put her hands on her hips and nodded in satisfaction.
"Umu. I am satisfied with this plan. We shall head out posthaste. We have imposed ourselves on this town long enough."
Murmurs of agreement sounded across the table. Though he knew it wasn't because they were imposing on Martha, that was the last thing on their minds. They had a plan and needed to cover as much ground as possible.
The murmurs stooped when the sudden voice of Romani caught everyone off guard as he spoke through the communicator on his wrist.
"I'm afraid you're going to have to revise those plans of yours Emperor Nero. "
Romani's declaration incensed the human generals, but Nero had noticed and made a gesture for them to stand down. After they reluctantly obeyed and held their tongues, Nero raised a brow at his wristband, "and why do you say that Romani? We have been working tirelessly to ensure we have a speedy but effective reconquering campaign. There's nothing-"
"Zenobia is here. "
The moment Romani dropped the name Zenobia over her head, Nero's words dried up and stuck to her tongue like a thick syrup. Many of the humans in the room looked like they didn't want to believe the news, but not the servants. They were taking the news seriously, because all of them were in various states of resigned acceptance.
[JigglyWiggly: Oh man, she's here already?! It's too soon for the final boss to show up!! We still have a lot of the main quest to complete!! ( ˶°ㅁ°) !! ]
Nero managed to find her voice and asked: "where?"
However, Romani did not have to explain further as the door to the dining room swung open and slammed into the wall.
A soldier rushed forward in haste and the momentum caused him to briefly slide on his kneecaps when he kneeled before Nero.
"Y-You Majesty!! Scouts report a large force of enemies coming from the west!!"
Nero's eyes widened before she schooled her features and asked for the number.
The soldier gulped, "tens of thousands… our scouts could not make a proper count before they were discovered… but they outnumber us."
Nero clenched her teeth, "everyone!! Prepare for battle!! The heretic goddess has made her move!! For our glorious Rome!!"
Everyone stood at attention and rushed out of the room to prepare their men.
"It's about fucking time!! Time to go burn me a heretic!!" Jalter excitedly said, as she ran out the door like a kid being told it was christmas time.
✦✧✦
Outside Narluc
It's been a long time since he had seen Zenobia. He knew this moment was coming, and every time he made naive wishes and prayers that he would not have to face her right away. That he would have more time to properly think about the questions he wanted to ask her.
Now it seemed like the world had gotten impatient with his indecisiveness and forced the reunion earlier than he had anticipated. Looking over the battlefield, he saw the wave of bodies as they marched closer towards them.
The rhythmic miniature tremors that came from the enemy soldiers's footsteps had a profound effect on the soldiers around him. Many of them were grimacing at the sheer discipline the soldiers were exuding, while many of them cursed the words 'traitors' under their breaths.
A closer inspection of the enemy revealed that there were indeed many soldiers wearing the same Roman style armor as the current soldiers. They were not alone, as they were marching alongside Egyptian soldiers who wore their own distinct armors. Thankfully, no iceni warriors were present, but what caught his eye and really solidified the idea that Zenobia was coming were the Palmyran soldiers in heavy armor that were marching right alongside the others.
But this assortment of soldiers was something everyone expected given how Zenobia could charm enemies into her loyal soldiers and due to her known allies. What really seemed to have caught the roman soldiers more off guard were the soldiers who dressed in the outdated armor of the hoplites from ancient Greece.
He knew what they were called thanks in part to the dreams he had of Stheno, and the unsavory things the gorgon sister did to them. However, he also overheard some of the men whisper the word when those soldiers came into view.
"Senpai… some of those soldiers… they're not human." Mash managed to breathe out as the opposing army came closer into view.
She was right. The majority of them were human, but some of the soldiers mixed in with them wore faceless expressions with no visible eyes on their faces, only a shadowed area where their eyes should be.
"No, no they are not."
"Wraiths… those strange soldiers are just watered down Nameless servants…. "
[MalasadaMayhem: Oh snap!! How bad is it?]
[GARcher: Really bad. While wraiths are weaker than servants, they are still superior to a normal human. The roman soldiers might be able to put up a fight though, seeing as how these wraiths seem to favor using swords rather than draining souls. ]
[Bugsy_Buzz: Oh good, so they don't have to worry about their souls getting sucked up into a void like when looking at those guys' backs.]
[Damn… Zenobia isn't messing around. That is a lot of soldiers. ]
Hearing the words come from Romani caused the servants to stand to attention.
"Man, no wonder these guys have such a cool, but freaky aura about them." Charlemagne said while eyeing the various wraiths that he could spot from the crowd.
The two armies stood in tense silence. No one seemed to be willing to break the staredown prematurely.
The first group that decided to make the first move are the enemy. They all stood aside to make way for something. Nothing happened at first, only the howling wind and the rattling armor of the troops shifting in place as they waited for the incoming conflict.
Then, he saw it.
Where there was once empty space, now stood a massive platform, wide enough that it could have passed off for a small room if it had walls and a roof.
The platform was being carried by dozens of men in rags, many of which also had the same faceless expressions as the wraith soldiers. The first row of men took a step forward, then another and another in a synchronous movement.
The platform moved towards them in such a way it never rocked or leaned on one of its sides at all.
Perfect coordination.
But the platform was not empty. It held three passengers. On the left, a stout man wearing a red coat of a uniform with golden buttons over a white shirt, a pink tie, shoulder pads, and a white skirt. The man stood with his arms crossed behind his back, the expression on his face was serious and measured.
On the far right stood a beautiful woman with long, dark teal hair who wore surprisingly modern clothing. She dressed in leather trousers and a jacket, and was looking at them all with a smugness that bordered on arrogance.
These two were strangers to him, but he could not say the same for the woman at the center. She was someone that he would not have recognized if she wasn't wearing the same ludicrous outfit she had when he first met her.
Zenobia.
His breath caught in his throat as he saw her new look. Unlike the last time they had met her, her hair was now a distinctly brilliant purple, the same purple color that belonged to Stheno.
She was sitting cross legged on her golden throne, her eyes looking down at them like they were insects. Or at least, that is the impression she gave when she looked over the Romans, but when her eyes landed on him, she saw something else.
Sadness and something else he couldn't quite place.
"Feh, fucking showoff." Jalter scoffed as she beheld the display before them, clearly unimpressed.
"So that must be Zenobia huh…. This is bad my Praetor…" He furrowed his brow and turned to Nero, who was still staring at the approaching goddess with a complicated look on her face.
"Why do you say that?"
Nero clenched her teeth, "I believe I have severely underestimated that woman." She looked down at the ground and for a moment, Nero no longer looked like a proud emperor, but a timid girl. Seeing her current state, Mash tried to comfort the emperor.
"It's okay Emperor Nero, We have more servants than her and we can still fight her off."
Mash's attempts to comfort the emperor seemed to not have as big of an effect on the blonde petite woman as she looked at Mash with a hesitant smile, "I have confidence you and Ritsuka will pull through for me, but that is not what I meant."
Mash tilted her head in confusion, "then what do you mean? "
Nero gulped, then her eyes went back to Zenobia, "It seems like the heretic goddess's beauty has had more effect on me than I anticipated."
[ShortShorts_QUEEN: …Seriously? ]
[Best_Kohai-BB(MOD): Yep. Nero does not joke around when it comes to beauty. Man or woman… and Zenobia is ALL WOMAN. ]
[Heart0f6old: :Umu Emote:]
There was only one appropriate response he could have made to that admission.
He facepalmed.
_______________________________________________________________________________
AN: It is finished. And just in time too. Fun fact, this scene with Zenobia being carried like Xerxes was one of the earliest scenes I came up with when I was planning out Septem, even before Flowerman started helping me with the brainstorming.
I really, really wanted this scene to happen, and now it's here. Hope you guys found it amusing.
Anyways, I'll see you next time.